CVm animaduerterem quam plurimos homi­nes errare in via morū / Succurrendū & consulendum opinioni eo (rum) fore existimaui-Maxime vt gloriose viuerent & honorem contingerent / nūc te fili carissime docebo quo pacto mores tui animi componas / Igitur mea precepta ita legito vt intelligas / legere enim et non intelligere negligere est

WHan I remembre & consydere in my corage / that moche peple erre greuously in the waye of maners and of good doctrynes bycause they vse no manere of Iustyce ne of reson / by whiche they be the more disordynate / & obsty­nate in their Iniquyte & euyl / for the which cause I haue delybered & concluded oftymes how I myght remedye / correcte / so­coure / & gyue good coūceyl to their false & disordynate opynyon & Iniustice / bycause that many holde & sowe many errours dyuerce & cōtrarye to good Iustice / equyte / & reason / & therfore I haue delibered in myn herte to helpe & correcte the errours & false opynyons / for eueriche by right & lawe writen ought to correcte his propre errour / & also therrour of his neyghboure & of his cristen broder / to thende that euery man myght lyue gloriously / that is to say vertuously / & that he may to thonour & preysyng of god and of the world / by cause that they that lyue vertuously / vse reson / Iustice / & equyte / & haue praysyng of god and of alle the world / And thys is that the phylo­pher sayth in the book of the etiques / whyche sayth for to come to worshyp and praysyng is none other thyng but to haue wytnesse in hym self of somme good and vertue / how be hyt that somme good is spyrituel / as vertu or science / And temporel as ben rychesses and puyssaunces / And therfore my right dere and welbelouyd sone I shal teche & shewe to the cle­rely in the doctrynes & commaūdementis / that thou shalt here herafter / That is to wete the fourme and the manere / [Page] how thou mayst rule the maners of thy corage / That is to knowe how thou mayst rule and gouerne thy body and thy sowle in this world / as wel in good werkes spirituel / as in good werkys temporel / and therfore rede and rede efte ageyn ofte tymes my cōmaundementes in suche wise that thou vnderstonde them / & reteyne them in thy mynde / For to rede & not vnderstonde is a thynge dyspyteuse and vnproffytable and of no prouffyte / in whiche there abydeth no trouthe prouffytable ne no perfeccion of entendement / for it is sayd in a comyn prouerbe / that he that redeth / & no thynge vnderstondeth doth as moche as he that hunteth and no thynge taketh / And therfore it suffyseth not to rede my commaundementes / without they be vnderstonden / and to what purpos I haue sayd them / For thou oughtest to rede & rede them efte ageyn more than an hondred tymes / or vnto the tyme that thou vnderstonde them / and reteyne them wel and perfytely / And thenne thou shalt [...]conne rule thy body & thy sowle in this world / & therfore may this book wel & ought to be entytled the r [...]ile & gouernement of the body and of the sowle /

Ita (que) deo supplica

THe fyrst commaundement is that thou oughtest to praye and adoure god thy creatour onely and none other / For yf so were that honoure and reuerence that is due to god / were gyuen to ony other creature / than to god / that shold be ydolatrye as thou shalt here hereafter / And thou oughtest to knowe that there be fyue maners / for to bere and doo honoure and reuerence to god hys creatour / That is to wete / to werke / adoure / swere sacrefyse / & preyse by cause that god is the vnyuersel commaundour of alle our production / begynnyng and gouernemente / Thou oughtest to knowe that Idolatrye is none other thynge / but tenbaunce and gyue the reuerence / that ought to be gyuen to god to ony other creature / Therfore I wyl shewe how ydolatrye was fyrst founde / and there ben fyue causes / The fyrst was for to eschewe the malencolye of the dethe of somme persones / herof recounteth the wyse man / of a man that loste his sone / whome he loued moche hertelye / [Page] But for teschewe the malencolye of the dethe of his sone / and for to haue perpetuel remembraunce of hym / dyd do make an ymage vnto the resemblaunce of the fygure of hys sone / the whiche ymage he commaunded to be worshypped by hys subgettes and seruauntes vpon payne of Inobedyence / Of this fyrst cause of ydolatrye recounteth saynt Gregore in his xj chappytre of saynt luke / How the kynge of nynyue whan he was dede in batayle his sone whiche was kynge af­ter hym / dyd do make an ymage to the resemblaunce of hys fader / the whiche ymage he adoured deuoutely / & commaunded expressely to be worshypped and adoured of al the subgettes of hys royame / And to thende that his subgettee shold haue the more gretter deuocion to the sayd ymage / he dyd doo make an edycte or a decree / that al they that had commysed offence ageynst the ryal mageste / that they shold adoure the sayd ymage / and al that so dyd shold be pardo­ned / The second cause wherfore ydolatrye was founden was for the grete pryde and surquerdrye of somme prynces whiche somtyme made them to be adoured and wor­shypped as god / As we haue an ensaumple of the kynge Nabugodonosor / For to the ende that he shold be adoured as god / He commaunded to olofernes whiche was prynce of his londe and of his chyualrye / that he shold destroye all the goddes of his royame / to thende that he shold be reputed and honoured as god in al his contre / The thyrd cause was foū ­den by adulacion or flaterye / For to Impetre somme graces ageynst somme lordes / as done they that ben poure / whyche adoure the ryche prynces & grete lordes as they were goddes / For to haue theyr grace and benyuolence / herof recoūteth saynt austyn in the tenthe boke of the cyte of god that sayth / that many thynges ben taken aweye fro thonoure and adouryng deuyne / the which ben atrybued & gyuen to kynges & prynces temporel / in geuyng to them gretter honoure & reuerence thā they do to god / this spice of ydolatrye regneth yet at this day with kynges & prynces of this world which make them self to be adoured more thā god / The iiij cause of ydolatrye / was by cause that they adoured the ydolles / whā they were requyred of ony thynge / and that they gate or had as they demaūded [Page] they supposed that the deuyls that were within the ymages had myght & power vpon them & vpon the Elementes / as for to do sece al tempestes / al maladyes / & aduersitees that myght happen to them / whiche thynge was suffred to come to them by deuyne suffraunce / as it shal be declared herafter / The v cause of ydolatrye was for his euyl couetyse / and that was for to gete the goodes & honoures of this world / as done they [...]hat selle them & gyue them to the deuyls to the ende tha [...] the [...] [...]ay accomplisshe theyr euyl wylles & worldly desyres /

THere be founde seuen spyces of ydolatrye / the fyrst is for to adoure the deuyls / The second to adoure the lyght / as the sonne the mone & the sterres / the thyrd is for to worshyp elementes as the fyre the erth the water & the eyer / The fourth is to adoure men and the creatures reso­nable / The fyfthe is to adoure the bestes brute and vnresonable / The syxte is to adoure the ymages and other fygures humayn / I say not that men ought not to worshyp thymages of sayntes of heuen and of the vyrgyn marye for so moche as they gyue vs memorye / & make representacion of [...] sa [...]tes that ben in heuen / and none otherwyse / For hit shold [...] be ydolatrye / the vij is to adoure the tyme / & knowe ye that for to adoure al thyse thynges aforesayd as god / is heresye /

Parentes ama

THou oughtest to loue thy fader and moder nexte af­ter god / and to ayde helpe & susteyne them in theyr necessyt [...]es / Therfore saith the phylosophre / [...] is as moche to say as a name of loue / for the sone oughte to fayle his fader for no thynge / but ought to loue hym wyth veray loue & dilection without ony fayntyse / & to helpe & sus­teyne hym after his puyssaunce and faculte / as we rede of a doughter / that somtyme nourisshed her fader with her propre mylke which was in prison / for which cause her fader was delyuerd out and rendrid quyt in remembraūce perpetuel of the grete loue that the sad doughter had to her fader /

Cognatos [...]ole

THou oughtest to honoure and vysite ofte thy cosyns and to haue and holde theym in grete reuerence /

[Page]But thou oughtest to knowe / that there be thre manere of cosyns / The fyrst is spirituel as ben godfaders and godmoders / The second is legale / the whiche cause is by ad­opcyon / The thyrd is carnal the whiche cometh by consan­guynyte / and by lygnage naturelle /

Datum serua

TThou oughtest to kepe the thynge that is gyuen vnto the / and to haue it in mynde in tyme comyng / to the ende that thou mayst rendre and yelde somwhat ther­fore / For thou arte bounden by ryght so to doo / soo kepe wel the thynge that is gyuen to the / That is to vnderston [...] [...]hat thou kepe wel the yefte of a good man that is gyuen to the / Lyke as a precyous Iewel for the honour and reuerence of hym / And thus thou shalt be moeuyd after to gyue hym ageyn / but consydere and thynke dylygently before or thou gyue / to whome thou oughtest / to gyue /

Beneficij accepti Memor esto

THou oughtest to remembre of the benefaytes of the receyued / And fyrst thou oughtest to gyue than kynges therof to god thy creatour / Secondly to them that haue gyuen hit to the / to thende that in tyme and place thou mayst guerdon them / that haue so wel done to the yf they haue nede and necessyte /

Maiori cede locum

THou oughtest to gyue place to hym that is gretter & more of valewe than thou arte / that is to say whan thou seest one more auncient & more honourable than thou art in ony scyence dignyte or offyce / thou oughtest to bere to hym honoure and reuerence in suche manere as whan thou arte sette / thou oughtest to aryse whan thou seest hym come / And yf he passe tofore the thou oughtest to enclyne and bowe thy kne / And yf he goo by the ware thou oughtest to accompanye hym / Herof we haue ensaumple in the gospel that sayth / that whan thou shalt be boden to ony weddyng or feste / sytte thou in the lowest place / to the ende that whan he cometh that hath boden the saye / to the frende aryse and sytte vpper / [Page] And thus shalt thou be honoured of thassistentis in thy com­panye / For yf thou sattest aboue in the hyest place / and he that bad the sayd / ffrende descende and sitte benethe / that shold be to the shame and dyshonoure and to them of thy companye And therfore sayth saynt ancelme / that the yonge peple ought to be subgette vnto the auncyent and obeye them / And saynt Austyn sayth / that by ryght / reson / and Iustyce the lasse owen to obeye to the gretter / And the yonger ought to aryse a­geynst the elder and more auncyent and to gyue to hym the chyef place whan they wyl sitte /

Saluta Libenter

THow sholdest salewe & grete the peple gladly / that is to wete affectuously and wyth god herte wythout ony faynyng / Not for to be salewed ageyn or by flaterye or by adulacyon / but thou oughtest to salewe by humylite and hole wylle / For salewyng is no thynge ellys but to shewe good desyre / good wylle and affeccion to hym that is salewed / to the ende that he may drawe and enclyne hym to loue and affabylite / That is to wete ageynst them that at thys day salewe theyr neyghbours in suche manere / that suche as they say with theyr mowthe / is al contrarye to that whiche the herte thynketh / Suche people maken of theyr tunges swerdes / and synne greuously / and also it apperyth that for to shewe sygne of loue vnder the shadowe of decepcion / and it is a right grete synne and grete trayson / and also ageynste the ryght cours of nature / For naturelly euery man oughte to be loued of al other men / For it is sayd comunely / that there is none soo euyl an enemye / as he that sheweth hym a frende by fyction & faynyng for to dysceyue hym to whome he sheweth sygne of loue / On that other parte there is none so grete hate as is loue faynte and palled vnder shadowe of decepcion /

Mutuum da

THou oughtest to lene / and thou oughtest to kepe the thynge that is gyuen to the to kepe / to the ende that thou mayst gyue a counte / whan thou shalt be requyred / And also thou shalt lene / that is to wete to the [Page] suffratouse and nedy whan they haue necessyte for good and veray loue and charite wythout ony vsure / For thou ough­test to lene without ony hope of ony gayn as saythe Saynt luke / lene wythout hope to haue ony gayne / For to doo soo warneth vs holy scripture ryght canon and nature / For no man ought to lene hys neyghbour for vsure / ne gyue out his syluer to vsure / For nature and good equyte wylle that a man shold helpe and lene his neyghbour whan he is in necessite wythouten ony vsure / For it is ageynst nature to take vsure / and wynne wyth the money that he hath lente / And ye shal vnderstonde that the vsurers synne more greuouslye thenne ony other synner / For alle other synners cessen ofte theyr synnes / But the vsurers ne sece neuer of theyr syn­nes / for nyght and day euery houre / festes and sondayes they synne and taken theyr vsure contynuelly without secyng Therfore may be said that they synne more greuously thenne ony other synners / Item it may be sayd that they be werse thenne Iudas / For Iudas solde Ihesu cryste onely / but thyse selle the vyrgyn marye / and alle the sayntes of heuen and theyr parentes and heyres vnto the tenthe lygnage / as it apperyth in an exaumple that here foloweth / It is redde in vytis patrum of a good man / that requyred of god that he wold shewe hym the paynes of helle / To whom our lorde sente an aungel / whiche ledde hym in to helle / and there he sawe many tormentes / that they that ben dampned suffren / Amonge alle other peynes he sawe a ladder whyche had ten degrees or stappes / and in eche degree was a man hangyng by ordre / whom the deuyls bete & alle to tare wyth hookes of yron moche terrybly / and aboue al the other dampned in helle / it semed to thys good man that these ten men suffreden more torment and payne thenne alle the other wherfore he prayed the aungel to telle hym why these x men were so hanged in that ladder / and so horrybly tormented / and what men they were / Thenne answerd the aungel to hym and sayd this olde man that thou seest that is in the hyghest place of the ladder is an vsurer / the whiche by vsure hath go­ten grete rychesses and possessyons / and by cause he deyed wythout makyng of restytucion / he is hanged in the hyghest [Page] place of the ladder and alle his heyres that haue posseded the sayd herirages / & ben dede wythout makyng restytucion be hanged by ordre on thys ladder vnto the tenth degree one after another / lyke as thou seest /

Cui des videto

TThou oughtest to take hede to whom thou gyuest whā thou wylt gyue or do ony almesse / and this is that ecclesiaste saith in his fourtenth chappytre / whiche sayth whan thou shalt gyue or shalt doo ony almesse / knowe thou wel & beholde to whome thou shalt doo hit / Item saynt Iherome saith / gyue to the poure peple / and not to the ryche / and not to the proude / Also he that wyl gyue / ought to consydre thre thynges / Fyrst that it whiche he wyl gyue for almes be tru­ly goten / for of euyl goten good / no man ought to gyue al messe / secondly he ought to holde ordre & maner in gyuyng for fyrst he ought to gyue & helpe hym self / after to his parentis kynne and neyghbours / and after to straungers yf he haue wherof / Thyrdly he ought to yeue by veray charite and loue without ony vaynglorye /

Coniugem Ama

THou oughtest to loue thy wyf as thy self / Neuerthelesse the wyf by ryght lawe deuyne / and humayne she ought to be subgette to hyr husbond / and to kepe to hym feythe and trouthe / and to serue and obeye to hym in al thynges lycite and honeste / Also the man ought to en­trete his wyf hertely and swetely / and to loue hyr by veray loue / For as they ben made one flesshe by carnal copulacyon or bodely felawshyp / also they ought to be one herte and one thought by veray dyleccion or loue / Item the woman oughte to loue hyr husbond and to bere to hym feythe and trouthe & reuerence and to obeye hym as longe as he shal lyue / Also the man ought to loue his wyf and to kepe to hyr feythe and trouthe / and to teche and endoctryne hir all good condicions notwythstondyng that many done the contrarye / It is redde in the auncient hystoryes or cronycles of Rome / that there was somtyme a woman noble & of grete lignage whiche mysrewled hir self & was of euyl gouernaunce / For [Page] the which cause her husbōd made hir to be put & shette within a toure and toward hyr wente neuer no body saue onely hyr husbond / It happed on a day as she was lokyng out of a wyndowe of the sayd toure whyche was nyghe by the walles of the cyte / that she sawe a student or scoler warnyng that waye whiche she knewe before that tyme / And as [...]e scoler perceyued hyr he sayd to hyr / helas lady what doo you there so hygh wythin this toure / Certeynly sayd she my husbond hath put me here wythin / and bereth the keyes of thys toure wyth hym in suche manere that from hens I ne departe neyther by nyght nor by day / For at nyght he leyeth the key­es vnder his bolster / Ha sayd the clerke yf he wyl beleue me I shal fynde wel the manere how at nyght ye shal scape at your plesure / Certeynly sayd she / therof I praye you and I promyt you to doo alle that shal plese you / Thenne seyd the clerke / I shal brynge to you to morowe somme pouder of man deglorye / of the whiche ye shal gyue to hym secretely for to drynke at his sowper / and for certeyn he shall sone after falle on a slepe / in so moche that none shal mowe awake hym / Ye shal thēne take the keyes from vnder his bolster / & thenne ye shal come to speke wyth me here benethe / and to gyder we shal dysporte vs / and after ye shal retorne and laye [...]he keyes by hym ageyn / For knowe ye for certeyn that he shall not awake for no steryng or noyse that ye shal make / wher­fore doo that to morowe / ye haue a smale corde made of the threde that ye spynne and as longe that it may reche vnto the grounde / and thenne the lytel sacke ful of the sayd powdre I shal bynde therto / And of this couenaunte was the woman contente / and in dede the clerke brought on the morne next the sayd powdre / and she drewe hit vp vnto hir and toke hyt / And so moche she dyd that on that same nyght she gaue to her husbond of the sayd poudre / bothe in his mete and in his drynke / the whiche sone after he wente to bedde / and began Incontynent to falle in a stronge slepe in soo moche that the toure myght haue be beten and smyten doun or he shold haue ben awaked / And thenne whan she sawe that he slepte she wente and toke the keyes and opened al the dores and yates of the towre and came doun to the clerke which entred [Page] wythin the toure and leyd them bothe vpon a ledde whyche was in a chaumbre benethe / and thre houres they leye to gy­der / takyng theyr plesure / And after the wyf retorned and wente vpward and leyed hyr by hyr husbond ageyn / whiche was moche subtyl and was alle abasshed that he had slepte lenger than he was accustomed to done / Hit happed thenne on an euen whan he had sowped that he wente to bedde / and forthwyth made semblaunte to be on slepe and strongely he began to rowte / and whan she sawe hym a slepe as she supposed / she toke the keyes and wente doun to the clerke as she was accustomed / And thenne whan hyr husbond felte that she was gone / he rose vp and wente and shette the dore of his chambre and wente ageyn to his bedde For he must nedes slepe thre or foure houres / Sone after the woman came vpward ageyn & supposed for to haue entred within the chambre as she was acustomed to doo / And she was moche abasshed whan she fonde the dore of hyt shette / but she knocked at the dore so longe that she dyd awake hir husbond / to whome she sayd thus / Helas ye haue hasted you moche for to shette the dore after me whan I yssued out for to haue gone to doo my naturelle nede / Thenne answerd to hyr her husbond and sayd / Dame harlote ye come from your rybauldrye as ye be acustomed / none ne may kepe you therfro / goo ageyn and retorne thyder from whens ye came / for ye shal neuer lye wyth me / Thenne was the woman moche abasshed and began to wepe and to excuse hyr self / sayeng / that hit was not trouthe / And thenne yet ageyn she requyred hym moche swetely that he wold opene the dore / But for prayer ne requeste that she made to hym he wold not opene hit / And whan she sawe that by no wyse he wold not opene the dore she began thus to crye wyth an hygh voys / Yf ye opene not the dore I shal caste my self wythin the same pytte whiche is hereby / For rather I wyl be drowned thenne for to be dyshonoured and shamed alle the tyme of my lyf / I care not therfore sayd hyr husbond / I wold that thou were drowned al redy / And she thenne toke a grete stone whiche was by the pytte / and castyng hit in the pytte / She sayd in this manere / God be with you my frende I wyl goo [Page] drowne my self ye shal neuer see me on lyue / And whan the husbond herde the noyse & resownyng of the stone within the water / He rose vp ful hastely and al naked wente out of his chambre toward the pytte / for he supposed that it had be his wyf / and fayne wold haue rescued hir / but she was not so moche a fole / for she was hydde behynde the dore / the whiche Incontynent after that hyr husbond was yssued out of the chambre she hastely entred in to his chambre & shette her self within / and hyr husbond wythout whiche was alle naked / and after she opened a wyndowe and began to crye & calle hir neyghbours sayeng that her husbond wold kylle hyr / And th [...]nne there came the neyghbours bothe men and wymmen and also somme of hir parentes / and shortely to say after alle allegacions and compleyntes made of bothe partes / there was none that myght beleue that hit had be soo as her husbond sayd / seyng that he kepte hir of so nyghe & of so longe tyme shette and that hym self bare the keyes of the sayd toure / Wherfore in dede the husbond was con­streyned to aske and requyre pardon and mercy of hys wyf / and thus the pees was made / By thys ensaumple hyt apperyth clerely that grete trouthe is not founden in somme wymmen /

Erudi libros

THou oughtest to leche to thy chyldren good doctryne and good condycions / For the phylosopher sayth in the viij book of ethyques / that the fader is cause of al that the chyldren done / Wherfore they ought to be [...]lso cause of theyr condycions of doctryne / For herto ben bounden of right not onely the carnal faders / but also the spyrituel / Boece recounteth in his book of dysciplyne of the scolers of the sone of lucressys whiche had to name Zeno / the whyche his fader dyd norysshe in his yongthe wythout doctryne and wythout techyng / the whiche Zeno expendyd bothe hys goodes and the goodes of his fader and played hit at the dyse / and at tables / and after that he became a theef in soo moche that his fader kepte and bought hym ageyn fro the galowes and fro dyshonest dethe / At the laste he was taken and [Page] his fader had nomore good for to bye hym and haue his lyf ageyne saufe / and in dede he was ledde vnto the galowes for to be hanged / the whiche Zeno or he was hanged he demaunded of his fader a yefte / that is to wete / that he wold kysse hym or that he shold receyue dethe / Thenne as his fader wold haue kyssed hym / he bote his nose of wyth his tethe sayeng in this manere / Fader yf ye had wel taughte and en [...]try­ned me in my yongthe in good condycions / I shold not haue ben brought hyther for to be hanged / and to receyue a shameful dethe / And therfore to thende that ye knowe that ye haue done euyl / & for to gyue ensaumple to the other / I haue byten of your nose / Therfore sayth seneque that men must chastyse & teche the chyldren in theyr yongthe / as thou hast ensaumple of al dombe bestes and of the trees and of her­bys / the whiche men bowe and plye and vse them in theyr yongthe in suche maner plighte as they wyl haue them whan they be older /

Familiam cura

TThou oughtest to haue the cure and the gouernement of thy famylle or seruauntes / For thou arte called fader of thy seruaunte / bycause that amonge alle thy seruauntes thou arte lyke a fader and gouernour / & of thys thou shalt rendre and yelde a counte before god / Item thou oughtest to knowe / that after right canon the fa­der of famylle / and euery man that hath ony gouernemente or rewle vpon his householde is bounden to hit in thre maners Fyrst he ought to haue and to ordeyne to euerrychone of hys seruauntes that / that to hym nedeth / Secondly he ought to knowe bothe the vyces and the vertues of eche of his seruauntes / the vyces for to chastyse and for to admoneste them for to doo wel / and the vertues for to rewarde them of the good whiche they doo and haue done before / Thyrdly euery fader of famylle ought to shewe good ensaumple to his seruaun­tes / to thende that they be not corrumped by euyl ensaumple /

In Iudicio adesto

THou oughtest to be and to appiere in Iugement / that is to wete that he whiche is called in to Iugemente / [Page] ought sone to come and to appyere therto / to thende that he be not holden for a rebelle and Inobedyent and put in to contu­macye / Be thou sette in Iugement that is to say that thou oughtest to be ferme & stedfast in Iugement specially whan thou hast good ryght and good quarelle /

Foro te para

THou oughtest to dyspose & to make thy self redy for to answere before thy competent Iuge & to obeye hym That is to saye that thou oughtest to obeye the Iuge vnder whome thou arte subgette / that is to wete to the Iurisdiccion and Iugemente of thy londe or prouynce / For to doo thys / right canon admonesteth and Inciteth vs / & also right lawe deuyne cyuyl and moralle /

Ad pretorium stato

THou oughtest to be in Iugement for to vnderstonde the sentence of thy Iuge competent or ordynarye that is to say that euery persone whiche is cyted lawfully or rightfully before his Iuge ordynarye ought not departe vnto the tyme that the cause be declaryd good or euyl / to thende that he be not put in to contumacye and condempned to paye thexpences of the partye aduerse

Equum Iudica

THou oughtest to Iuge and to make Iuste Iugemente and euery Iuge ought to discute and examyne the caas of bothe partyes in suche manere that he may do equyte and Iustyce / and rendre and yelde to eyther of bothe partyes his ryght / Also thou oughtest to knowe / that euery Iuge ought to haue foure maners / that is to wete four condycyons / The fyrst is that he ought to be vertuous con­stant and stedfast / and ought not to meue hym lyghtly by no fauour loue ne hate nor by requeste of somme other / The second condycion is that he ought to haue / sapyence and connyng to thende that he may gyue and adiuge to euery one his ryght Iustely / The thyrd is that he ought to haue thexperience and Industry / and to knowe what thynge right is / The fourthe condycion whiche a Iuge oughte to [...]ue / is that he ought to be of good fame & renōme & of conuersacion

Minime Iudica

THou oughtest to Iuge litil & not ofte / & whan thou Iugest / Iuge thou by grete and good delyberacyon and by sure counceyl / For doynge otherwyse thou sholdest not be rightful Iuge / but sholdest doo vniustyce / as doon somme Iuges whiche Iugen by gesse and at alle aduenture / without makyng dewe proof of ony Informacion or enqueste / vpon the caas of whiche they must gyue a Iugement And this doctryne is of general vnderstondyng / & oughte to be vnderstonden of alle Iuges / to thende that none Iugen folyly the caas of ony other /

Pugna pro patria

THou oughtest to fyghte for to kepe and defende thy londe and contree / That is to say that al thus as we be holden of right for to defende and kepe our parente [...] bycause that they haue gyuen to vs our beyng / and that they be our begynnyng / Lyke wyse we ought to kepe and defende our londe the whiche is cause and begynnyng of our proteccion & of al our goodes / Tulle sayth that emonge al other charite / the charite of our contre ought to be loued & preferred before al other charitees / for by the comyn we [...]e of a londe is saued al synguler prouffytes and vtylytees / bycause that of our contree we take and haue alle that is nedeful to vs / that is to wete our elementes / vestementis or clothynges habytacions o [...] di [...]ellynges & delectacions or plesaunce /

Iusiurandum serua

THou oughtest to kepe thyn othe and to kepe it sted­fastlye to thende that thou forswere not thy self / and or euer thou make ony othe or ony promesse / thou oughtest to consydere / yf thou shalt mowe holde and kepe thyn othe and thy promesse / Euery man ought not for to be sworne in al his promysses / but in alle his promysses he ought to kepe feyth / Item for to holde and kepe feythe the men ben broughte vnto feythe / Item many men habyten and dwellyn by feyth in the cyt [...]es / Item for to kepe and holde feythe / the kynges & prynces haue domynacions & lordshippes [Page] Item for to kepe feyth theyr forteresses castels townes and cytees ben sure and sauely kepte / Therfore eueryone oughte to kepe wel his feythe / Saynt Austyn and Tulle sayen that a man ought not onely to kepe hys feyth vnto his frendes / but also to his enemyes /

Minorem te non contempseris

tHou oughtest not to dyspreyse hym whiche is lesse than thou arte / That is to saye yf somme man come of lower degree than thy self / procedeth the in to sōme dygnyte or worshyp connyng or offyce / Neuerthelesse thou oughtest not to dyspreyse hym / The prophete sayth that lyke as in a body is many lymmes / Neuerthelesse all the lymmes or membris be [...] not in one acte onely / we be many bodyes to gyder onely in cryste / And neuerthelesse euery membre seruyth to hys body /

Magistrum metue

tHou oughtest to doubte and to obeye to thy mayster and to bere hym reuerence and honoure / That is to saye that not onely they that been in dygnyte or offyce we owen to doubte and obeye / but also somme whyche been partyculer in theyr offyce / as ben the maysters of scoles / Fo [...] the scolers oughte to doubte them / and to bere vnto them ho­noure and reuerence /

We rede in the cronycles auncyent / that many Emperours and kynges / How be hyt that they were in grete honoure and dygnyte / Neuerthelesse they haue borne reuerence and honoure to theyr maisters that taughte them in theyr yongthe As it is redde of troianus themperour / whyche gretely honoured his mayster named Plustrate / Item of alyxaunder whiche moche honoured his moyster Socrates / For he beyng wythin hys charyot of worshyp descendyd doun to the erthe / and to socrates made honour and reuerence ryght excellen [...]e and publykely /

Litteras disce

[Page]THou sholdest lerne the letters and the scyences For by letters and by science is the man made semblable or lyke to god / As saith saynt ambrose / wherfore hit appereth that we owe to lerne the letters and the sciences Item thou oughtest to knowe that the scoler which wyl lerne ought to haue thre pryncipalle condycions / The fyrst is that he ought not to dyspreys [...] no scripture ne no science / The se­cond is that he ought not to haue shame ne ve [...]goyn to lerne of alle manere of men that shal mowe teche hym / The thyrd is that whan he shal haue lerned wel and that he shal be a grete clerke / that he dyspreyse none other / For somme been whiche wyl lerne and knowe / to thende onely that they may be reputed and holden sage and wyse and for grete lordes / The other wyl lerne to thende that they may selle their scyence and kunnyng for to gete syluer and honoure / As done these grete aduocates /

Libros lege

tHou oughtest to rede oftyme the bookes / and to put in to thy memorye and affeccion that / that they sayen / But none ought to rede foule sciences and of no [...]e effecte and ful of errour / as ben foles questyons & scyences / seculers / ne also the fictions of poetrye /

Que legeris memento

tHou oughtest to rede and to receyue and to put in thy memorye that / that thou shalt rede / and to take to hit dylectacōn & plesure / and that thou forgete hit not lightly / as done many one that rede without takyng of hyt o­ny plesure / For that that entryth in to one of theyr eerys yssueth out ageyn by theyr other eere

Nil temere crederis

tHou oughtest not to beleue no thynge folysshly / ne lightly that whyche men reherceth to the / Seneque sayth that fyrst men must examyne hys counceyll or men beleue / For he whyche that is of lyghte beleue is lyghte of thoughte and of wytte / Item they whyche beleuen ageynste the artycles of the feythe / [Page] and generally ageynst our moder holy chyrche vnyuersall beleuen folisshly and synnen dedely /

Nil mentire

tHou oughtest not to make no lesynges / For a man lyer is wor [...] thenne a theef / For the theef sleyth but his body onely / but the lyer sleeth bothe hys body and his sowle / For lesyng is a synne dyabolyque / And knowe thou that the fyrst man that euer made the first lesyng was Caym / bycause that he lyed whan oure Lord god demaunded of hym / where he had done his broder abel And he answerd that he ne wyste ne knewe not where he was / And that same tyme our lord gaue to hym the male­dyccion or cursyng /

Bonis benefacito

tHou oughtest to doo wel to the good / that is to saye / that men oughte sonner to doo wel to the good folke thenne to the euyll / Seneque sayth that hyt is better to doo somme good to somme poure man / thenne to an euyll ryche man / / bycause that the ryche man beleueth not that the wele & honoure that one beryth to them / that is for the loue of theyr money / or ellys for to haue & Impetre of them sōme good after theyr deth / & as longe as they lyue /

Tute consule

tHou oughtest to gyue good counceyll to theym that demaundeth hit of the / That is to wete that thou oughtest to gyue good counceyll to them that de­maundeth hit of the by good and sadde delyberacyon / For euery man sage and prudente / oughte to haue memorye of the thynges passed / and pourueaunce and aduysemement vpon the thynges whyche been yet for to come / And thou oughtest to thynke ofte how Iustely trewely and lycylly thou shalt mowe come to thyn Intencion / and vpon hit take and demaunde counceyl / for none may fynde ne ymagyne of hym self that whiche is to hym nedeful / And therfore euerichone oughte to take aduyse to hys sayte or dede yf he be suffysaunte of hym self for to doo and perfourme that whyche he had enterprysed wythout [...]ny counceyll or helpe [Page] of other /

Maledictus ne esto

tHou oughtest not to blame ne dyspreyse other / by dede / by spekyng ne by thoughte in what manere that hit be / bycause that it is a thynge dyfferent and contrarye to frendshyp and to veray loue whyche we oughte to haue and to bere eche one to other / For there nys so euyl a thynge ne that letteth more the man / thenne the euyl tonge Therfore none ought not to dyspreyse ne blame other vpon peyne of mortal or dedely synne /

Extimacionem retine

tHou oughtest to haue in thy self and to reteyne extymacion and aduysemente in alle thy werkys / to the ende that euery man may suppose and saye good of the wythout ony euyl to be thoughte vpon the / Saynt Tho­mas sayth that euery prudent man ought to haue extymacion and auysemente in alle his faytes and dedes wherwyth he entremeteth hym / and to bye and selle wythout fraude or decepcyon /

Consultus esto

tHou oughtest for to be counceylled and aduysed of thyn owne dede / and also vpon the fayte of other / That is to saye / that thou be suche that thou mayst gyue counceyl to thyn owne self / and to the other / where and whan nede shal be / Saynt Ambrose sayth that euery man that wyl counceyl other / oughte to haue thre thynges in hym self / That is to wete sapyence / Iustyce / preysyng and trewe experyence vpon that thynge on the whiche he wyll gyue counceyll /

Vtere virtute

tHou oughtest to vse vertues and be vertuous in thy self and to haue strengthe for to resiste ageynst alle aduersytees / Saynt Iohan sayth in the pocalyps who shal vaynquysshe the world / he that shal ete in paradyse of the fruyte of lyfe / Therfore thou [Page] ought to be feythful and vertuous vnto the tyme of dethe / and thou shalte haue the crowne of lyf eternal or wythout ende /

Troco lude

tThou oughtest to playe wyth the toppe / For the playe of the toppe is good and vtyle and wythout fylthe and wrathe / For by the same playe one may doo his excersyse / and amodere or restreyne in hym self all Illycite or euyl cogytacions or thoughtes /

Aleas fuge

tHou oughtest to flee and to eschewe alle manere of playeng wyth the tables and dyse / For by suche playes Illicitees and dyshonestees cometh homy­cydes / Rancoure and brawlyng / Item also comynly by suche gamynges one maketh of hys frende hys enemye / Item thou must knowe that there been foure thynges wher­fore men oughte to eschewe alle the playeng wyth tables and dyse and all other Illycyte and euyl playes / The fyrst is for the grete multitude of synnes whyche ensueth and cometh therof / The second is for the grete trybulacion and malenco­lye that the parentes and frendes of hem that playe / haue & take therfore / The thyrd is for the grete folye that cometh therof / The fourth is for the doubte of deuyne vergoyne and shame by playeng wyth dyse and wyth tables and by other Illycyte gamyng comen syxtene synnes / The fyrst is aua­ryce and couetyse for to wynne / the whyche synne is founde­mente and roote of alle synnes and of alle euyll / The second synne is for to be wyllyng for to dyspoyle and rauysshe hys neyghbours goodes / the whyche synne cometh fro the synne of rapyne or thefte / Item yf the player playe wythin his hows / his parentes and frendes ben therof wroth and trowbled / And yf he be maryed and haue chyldren he is wrothe wyth hym self and with hys wyf and chyldren wherfore his children ben ofte tyme dysheryted by suche players / and ofte ben cause and occasyon to put theyr wyues and doughters to grete dyshonoure and shame / [Page] The thyrd synne is vnmyserycorde and crudelyte / For he whyche playeth wold fayne take from his felowe bothe breche and sherte / the whiche thynge the theuys whyche dyspoyle and robbe the pylgrymes / doon not / The fourth synne is vsure / for hit suffyseth hem not for to take xj for twelue / for one yere or for a moneth or for one day / For they wyl haue al at ones / The fyfthe synne is blas­phemye of god and of his sayntes / The vj synne is lesynges and many other ydelful and veyne talkyng / The vij synne is corrumpyng of his parentes and of them that beholden the playe / bycause that oftentymes they Inclyne or bowen them to suche playes by acus [...]umaunce / The viij synne is thefte / For oftentymes the players for pouerte whan they haue loste alle that they had / they sette them to robbe and to stele wherfore they be hanged / or otherwyse executed by Iustyse / The ix synne is falsehede that they doo in makyng and ocupyeng false dyse / The x is homycyde / For oftentymes by suche playes men fall in to angry wordes / and fro wordes in to smytyng / and fro smytyng vnto kyllyng of eche other / therfore oftyme ensu­eth therof homycyde / The xj synne is falsehede and decepcion / For he that more better can playe / more better he can dysceyue / The xij synne is ydolatrye / For they maken of the dyse theyr god / bycause that at the commaundemente of the dyse they take and gyue theyr syluer / the which thyng is not of the commaundementes of god / The xiij synne is brekyng of holydayes / For vpon the grettest festes of all the yere they playe and more vpon holydayes than vpon ony other dayes / The xiiij synne is yre / The xv synne is le­uyng of good dedes whyche they myght doo whyle that they playen / In players men fynde twelue folyes and abusyons / The fyrst is a right grete and foule seruytude whan they submytte them self / for to doo that the dyse commaunden / The second folye is that they ben redy er for to doo the commaundemente of the dyse / than the commaū dement of god / They doo not lyke saynt martyn whiche gaue the halfe of hys mantell / gowne sherte and breche / [Page] and after came after his mayster / bycause that oftymes they lene to al bothe mantellys and gownes / shyrtes and breches And after goon alle naked after theyre master the deuyll of helle whiche gouerneth them / The thyrd is that after that they knowe the falsehede of the dyse they oughte rather forsa­ke them / thenne to forsake theyr maker / the whiche doeth neuer to them but alle good / The fourthe folye is bycause that they put and submytte them to the Iurisdyccion or Iugemente of hym whiche doth neuer good ne Iuste Iuge­mente / For he gyueth to them that whiche longeth not to them The fyfthe is bycause that they take gretter dylectacion and plesure to the dyse / than to the holy and deuyne thynges / The syxthe is to the ende that they be not ydelful they do ydel thynges / Therfore sa [...]th saynt bernard that it is gretter folye for to doo an ydle thynge for to esche­we ydelnesse / The seuenth folye is bycause that they suffre that theyr enemye stele from them one of the moste precyous thynges that they haue / that is to wete the tyme whyche they lese in playeng / The viij is bycause that with theyr owne handes they lese bothe hem self and theyr goodes / whome our lord Ihesu cryste wyth his owne handes boughte ageyn on the tree of the crosse / The ix is bycause that whyle that they playe they ben condempned to dethe at the courte of the souerayn Iuge / The tenthe is bycause that whyle they playe they myght do sōme thynge that shold be to them prouffytable and good / and plesaunt to god theyr creatour or maker and to theyr frendes / and they doo the contrarye / The xj is bycause that they doo chyldren werkys / For they playe wyth bones and with stones as done the chyldren / The twelfthe is that they suppose not to haue plesure in that / they do wythout that they haue and take of hit somme prouffyte / It is redde of a knyghte whiche in his playeng swore by yre & angre by the eyen of our lorde god / to whom Incontynente before all theym that were present / his one eye fyl from his heed vpon the table on the whyche he played /

Item it is redde of an archer whyche for grete wrathe shotte an arowe ageynst the heuen in despyte of our Lord god / Bycause that he had loste hys syluer [Page] by shotyng / the whiche arowe came not doun ageyn vnto the nexte morowe after / and at suche houre as it had ben dra­wen hit fyl ageyn al blody from heuen / It is redde of saynt bernard that ones / as he was on an hors backe / a player demaunded of hym / yf he wold playe his hors ageynst his sowle / to whome saynt bernard answerd that he was contente / the whiche player Incontynent toke thre dyse and caste xviij poyntes / and thenne he toke the hors by the brydel / and sayd that hit was his & that he had wonne hit / Frende abyde a lytel sayd saynt bernard / for there ben in these dyse somme poyntes which thou seest not / therfore lete me caste / Saynt bernard thenne took the dyse and caste them / and as he caste them / one of them brake in two partes / and at the one parte of the dyse broken were foure poyntes / and on the other parte were thre / and on the other two dyse were xij poyntes / and thus saynt bernard dyd caste xix poyntes / Thenne whan the player sawe the myracle he gaue to saynt bernard his sowle / and to hym he made alle obeyssaunce / and after he became a monke of saynt bernardes and endyd his lyf right holyly /

Cum bonis ambula

tThou oughtest to walke and goo wyth good folke and flee the euyl / That is to say that thou must put thy self in the feleshyp of the good and vertuous men and eschewe and flee from the euyl / ful of vyces & synnes Item it is founde thre maners of conuersacions / the fyrst is the good men wyth the good men / the second is the good men wyth the euyl and vycious men / the thyrd is the euyl men wyth the euyl men / and the euyl men wyth the good men / The poete sayth that the man may not forbere hym self wyth­out other felawshyp / For euery frende hath nede of hys frende /

Antequam voceris ad consilium ne accesseris

tHou oughtest not to goo to no counceyl before that thou be called therto / For it is gretter presumpcion & folye for to goo to the counceyl of somme other before that men be called to hit / bycause that of aduenture men wyl [Page] not that thou knowe hit / Seneque sayth that hit is grete presumpsion for to entreme [...]te hym ne to enquere of the coun­ceyl of other / whan he wyl not that thou knowe hit / For he kepeth hit secretely for cause of the /

Mundus esto

tHou oughtest to be pure and clene bothe of body and of sowle / That is to saye that thou oughtest to kepe thy self from vyces and fro synne / as of lecherye / auaryce and of alle other synnes whyche ben contrarye to the bo­dy and to the sowle /

Verecundiam serua

tHou oughtest to haue shame and vergoyne to do euyl but not for to do good / For none oughte not to haue shame for to doo wel / Men fynden thre manere of folke byfore the whiche men haue vergoyne and shame for to doo euyl / Fyrst before them whiche ben wyse bycause that men byleuen them lightlye of that / that they saye / be hit good or euyl / Secondly before them whiche ben deuoute and holy and before them emonge the whiche we conuerse and goo dayly / bycause that men beleuen them of our fayte or dede soner thenne the other whiche we knowe not / Thyrdly before them that can kepe no thynge secretely / as Iogelers / mynstrellys / foles / dr [...]nke folke and yonge chyldren / Fourthly before them the whiche sawe vs neuer do none euyl / bycause that we shold not lese the good fame or renommee that we had before of them / For they supposen that we had ben good / Fifthely before them of the whiche we wyl be loued / Syxthely before them whche ben cōtrarye to the fayte or dede whiche we doo / bycause that they myght suppose / that the euyl were gretter thenne hit is /

Rem tuam custodi

tHou oughtest to kepe thy thynge / This commaunde­mente may be expressed in thre maners / Fyrst kepe thy thynge / that is to say kepe thy body and thy persone / the whyche is made and fourmed to the semblaunce of god thy creatour or maker / Secondly kepe thy thynge that is to saye [Page] thy sowle from synne / Thyrdly kepe thy thynge / that is to say / thy substaunce and temporelle goodes / to thende that thou dyspende hit not folisshly by euyl syghtes and euyl playes / or ellys by lecherye / as dyd the sone of perdicion or losse whi­che expendyd al his goodes with comyn wymmen dissolute & dyshoneste wythouten mesure /

Diligenciam adhibe

tHou oughtest to take dyligence and cure of thy wer­kes and in al thynges whiche of nede thou must doo as wel in werkes spiritual / as corporalle / For to be dylygent and wel aduysed of his fayte / men eschewe many grete Inconuenyentes and decepcions as wel of the body as of the sowle / that is to wete by beleue / good counceyl / and to kepe hym fro euyl counceyl / and fro the awaytes or wat­chyng of the enemyes bothe spiritual and corporalle /

Blandus esto

tHou oughtest to be courteys and benygne / For they whiche been swete and courteys shal not onely haue the goodes of this world / but also they shal haue the eternal goodes of god / as sayth saynt Austyn /

Saynt bernard sayth yf the humble haue the heuen / and the benygne the erthe / what shal god leue for the proude and euyl sothely he ne leueth to them other thynge / but the payne of helle and perpetual dampnacion /

Irasci abs re noli

tHou oughtest not to be wrothe of a thynge vncerteyn that is to say that whan thou arte wroth of a thynge vncerteyn and wythout cause lawful / thou oughtest not therfore to Iuge none wrongfully in refraynyng thyn yre For the man whiche is ouertaken wyth yre may not see / ne knowe neyther trouthe ne reason /

Iracundiam tempera

tHou oughtest to refrayne thyn yre / Not onely the yre subdayn and subytte / but also men ought to kepe hem self from the yre whiche is without mesure & without reason / That is to say / that men ought not sodeynly and [Page] Inmoderately auenge hym self vpon his enemyes to hys appetyte /

Neminem irriseris

tHou oughtest not to mocke ne scorne none other / specyally whan thy wyll is to haue companye with hem but thou oughtest to force thy self for to gete his grace wyth alle thy myghte /

Miserum noli irridere

tHou oughtest not to scorne ne mocque the poure vn­fortunate to whom fortune is contrarye / specyally whan they ben in theyr vnfortune and myserye / but thou oughtest to comforte and helpe them after thy power / and to gyue to them good hope in god /

Raro conuiua

tHou oughtest selde to make festys / ete and drynke in felawshyp that is to say that thou oughtest to goo selde to the festys and etynges of other / ne to praye oftymes somme other for to ete and drynke wyth the /

It is founden in the auncyent historyes / that Alexaunder came in to a contre / where as the folke were of grete absty­nence / wherfore they lyued longe / To this purpoos recounteth boece de consolacion / that at the fyrst eage of the world before the deluge or growyng of waters / the folke ete neuer flesshe ne dranke no wyne / but ete onely that / that the erthe broughte forth by nature wythout ony labour or cultyuyng and fasted vnto the euen wythout takyng ony manere of substaunce / & after they sowped them wyth a fewe chesteyns and with acornes / Therfore sayth boece that they were wel happy bycause that they were more stronger than we been now at thys tyme / It is founden that men may haue ten prouffytes by sobyrte [...] and abstynence / The fyrst is helthe of body and of sowle / The second is lengthe of lyf / The thyrd is gladnesse of plesure of lyf corporell and spyrytuel / The fourth is that men slepe and reste the better / The fyfthe is bycause that men haue better appetyte for to ete / The vj is bycause that men gete [Page] therfore preysyng and grace toward god / The seuenth is delyueraunce of dethe / The viij is refraynyng of mowthe / The ix is puttyng from hym self the wolfe / that is to wete the deuyl of helle / For thus as hunger chaceth the wolfe out of the wode / thus sobrete chaseth the deuyl fro the man /

Pauca in conuiuio loquere

tHou oughtest to speke lytel or fewe whan thou etest or drynkest / that is to saye that thou oughtest to speke at thy dyner and sowper by mesure / and whan it is nede / Seneque sayth I commaunde to the that thou speke late and selde / Saynt Ambrose sayth that he whiche can not speke wel ought to kepe his pees /

Quod satis est dormi

tHou oughtest to slepe by mesure / whan it is nede and that nature requyreth hit and thy complexyon / and nomore / that is to saye that thou oughtest to kepe thy self fro ouermoche slepe / and fro ouermoche watchyng / It is founde in the auncyent hystoryes that macrobyus whan he wold fyghte ageynst the assiriens / seyng that he was ouer feble / and that the assiriens were stronger than he was / He bethought and aduysed hym self to haue somme of mande-glorye powdre whiche causeth and maketh men for to slepe / & after he made the sayd powdre to be put in to al the pypes ful of wyne whiche were within his tente / and thenne after that was done / he with al his hoost made semblaunte to flee / And thēne thassiriens came to the sayd siege with al theyr myght for to haue gone after macrobyus / but before that they wente after hym they dranke so moche of the wynes of macrobyus wherein he had put the sayd powdre / that sone they were forced and nedes they must slepe / and slepte in suche wyse / that they laye as dede men on the erthe / Thenne retorned macro­byus and came and slewe them at his plesure / for they had no myghte for to resiste ne to doo ony defence / Thus to speke morally the deuyl kylleth and sleeth alle them whiche he fyn­deth a slepe in dedely synne / bycause they haue no puyssaūce for to defende them self ne to resiste to the deuyl of helle /

Meretricem fuge

tHou oughtest to flee the comyn & folysshe wymmen and the bawdes and theyr decepcions / For they ben more subtyl than the deuyl / Item thou oughtest to holde the by thy wyf yf thou be maryed / Saynt Crisostom sayth that he is a fole whiche leueth his good and trewe wyf and holdeth other comyn wymmen in his felawshyp / Peter alphons reherceth in his book / that in spayne wythin the cyte of hyspalensy was a moche fayre and a good bourgeys wyf and wel beloued of her husbond / It happed that a yonge clerke was enamowred of hyr / and many tymes prayed & requyred hir of loue / but for no thynge she wold neuer consente to hit / Thenne whan the clerke sawe that he was refu­sed he entred in to suche a malencolye / that better he semed to [...]e deed / thenne on lyue / but nyghe his hows dwellyd a maquerel or bawde whiche had grete acqueyntaunce wyth the sayd bourgeyse / And whan the sayd bawde knewe that the sayd clerke was in suche poynte / she came for to speke wyth hym and demaunded of hym what he eyled and why he was in so grete malencolye and comforted hym and dyd so moche that she knewe al his fayte / And in dede the clerke made bargeyn with the sayd olde bawde for to fynde the meanes that he myght haue his plesure of the sayd bourgeys wyf and for to fulfylle his wylle and his entencion / This olde bawde had a lytel catte whiche she named pasquette the which she kepte wythout ony mete or drynke the space of thre dayes / and af­ter she gaue to the catte a lytel flesshe with right stronge mustard / and after she wente for to speke wyth the sayd bourgeys wyf and ledde with hir her lytel catte / but bycause that she had eten the sayd mustard she dyd none other but wepte euer / And thenne the good wyf demaunded of the bawde why her catte wepte and syghed so sore / And she syghyng and wepyng answerd / Helas my lady / my catte whiche ye see and I haue cause ynough for to wepe / wherfore sayd the wyf I praye you that ye wyl telle to me the cause / Helas sayd the olde bawde / my lady I dar not telle hit to you Neuerthelesse the bourgeys wyf prayed hyr so moche / that she [Page] tolde hit to hir / sayeng madame sythe hit pleseth to you / I shal telle hit to you / this catte whiche ye now see here is myn ow­ne doughter / the whiche by the wylle and plesure of god hath ben transfourmed in to a catte bycause that a yonge man loued hir / but neuer for no thynge she wold not accorde for to doo his plesure and wylle / wherfore the goddes were wroth and torned hir in to a catte as ye may see / And therfore she wepeth thus contynuelly / & whan she wepeth I can not holde me but that I must wepe / How sayd the bourgeys wyf ye say wonder / is hit trouthe that ye say / the whiche sware that hit was veray trouthe Helas / sayd the bourgeys wyf whiche beleuyd lightly / knowest thou not suche a yonge clerke / Yes my lady I knowe hym ful wel / Certeynly sayd the bour­geys wyf he hath prayed me of loue / and hathe offred to me many grete yeftes / but neuer for no thynge I ne wold consente ne graunte hys plesure / wherfore as I suppose he is in grete thought and malencolye / and therfore yf hit were sothe that thou sayest / I shold be torned in to a catte as thy doughter is / yf the goddes ben wrothe with me / Certeynly said the bawde yf ye holde thus longe the sayd clerke in that payne and langour / ye are in grete parelle for to be transformed from your fayre fourme / in to the lykenesse and fourme of a catte and ye shal therfore wepe al the tyme of your lyf / Wherfore my dere lady I counceyl you / or the goddes be wrothe vpon you / that ye doo after the wylle of the sayd clerke / For yf ye were torned in to a lityl catte ye shold be dyshonoured & ye shold be cause of the shame and dyshonoure perpetuell of al your lynage / Thus the sayd bourgeys wyf whiche doubted the furour and wrath of the goddes and the shame & dyshonour bothe of hir self and of her parentes / byleuyng the wordes of the forsayd olde bawde / consented wythin her herte to doo the wylle and plesure of the sayd clerke / And thenne with grete sygheng and malencolyes / for doubte that wor [...] shold come to hir / sayd to the sayd olde woman that she wold goo toward the sayd clerke and that she shold telle to hym that [...]e wold come for to speke with hir / and that of hyr he shold haue his plesure / Thenne was the olde bawde ioyeful and gladde / and after wente to the sayd clerke & said to hym [Page] that he shold make good chere / and that Incontynente he shold goo toward the bourgeys wyf / & that of hir he shold haue al that shold please to hym / The whiche clerke wente Incontynent thyder and payed the bawde as he had promysed to hyr / And thus he had hys wylle of the sayd bourgeys wyf /

Vino te tempera

tHou oughtest to be temperate in drynkyng wyne / that is to say that men oughte to drynke as moche as it suffyseth to nature / and no more / Aristotel sayth in his secretes whiche he sente to alixaunder / that many euylles sourden and come by ouermoche drynkyng of wyne / The fyrst euyl [...] bycause that hit troubleth bothe the wytte & the memorye / The second is for hit empessheth the wytte of nature The thyrd is bycause that hit troubleth the brayne / The fourth is bycause that hit debyliteth and maketh feble the vertues of the man / The fyfthe is bycause that hit causeth for to forgete that / that men haue for to doo / The vj bycause that he causeth euyl appetyte / The seuenth bycause that hit maketh the mem­bres to shake / The viij bycause that hit chaseth alle the body and engendreth hete in to the lyuere / and causeth euyl blood and generally hit maketh feble alle the vertues bothe of the body and of the sowle /

Men rede of an hermyte whyche oftentymes was tempted for to leue his hermytage and retorne in to the world / to whome an aungel of god apperyd and sayd to hym yf he wold retourne in to the world that he myght not scape but that emonge al the other euyl synnes which ben done in the same world there were thre of the whiche he shold doo one / that is to wete auaryce lecherye and dronkennesse / and that he shold chese whiche of them thre he wold doo / Thenne the hermyte an­swerd and sayd sythe that it is force that I falle in one of thoos thre synnes / I chese dronkennesse / and not Auaryce bycause that auarice is cause and the roote of alle synnes / Ne lecherye bycause that hit destroyeth alle the body of the man / And thus the myschaunte retorned in to the world the whiche drunke on a day so moche of wyne that he was dronke / & [Page] forthwyth tempted he was of lecherye the whiche synne he made in dede / and after he became auaricious / and in dede he sette hym self for to stele / and thus he made alle the sayd thre dedely synnes / & this came of dronkenesse onely /

Nil arbitrio feceris

tHou oughtest not to doo no thynge of thyn owne ar­bytre / that is to wete wythout counceyl of somme more wyse than thy self / And thou ne oughtest not to truste thyn owne counceyl ne by strengthe corporell and spyrituel ne also thy wysdom and conuyng / but thou oughtest to take and requyre the counceyl of other / and of the sages and shewe vnto them the thynge whiche thou purposest for to doo / For many to gyder seen more clerely and knowen more thenne doth one allonelye /

Pacienter parentes vince

tHOu oughtest to ouercome and vaynquysshe thy pa­rentes / by fayre and swete wordes without makyng force or to be rebelle ageynst hem / bycause that hit is o [...]e of the pryncypal commaundementes of our lawe / that men oughte to obeye his fader and moder /

Patere legem quam tu ipse feceris

tHou oughtest to kepe the lawe whiche thou hast or­deyned and made / That is to say that al tho whyche made the lawes & that maketh hem day by day ought to kepe them and to commaunde the other for to kepe them / Valere recounteth in his syxte book / of a man whiche made an edycte that who someuer were taken in aduoultrye he shold l [...]se bothe his eyen / It happed that the sone of hym that had made this edicte was taken in to aduoultrye / wher­fore his fader commaunded that his two eyen shold be taken out of his heed / but the bourgeys and the lordes of the cyte prayed for hym / thenne that he shold haue grace / but his fader for no thynge wold not consente to hit / For he wold make equyte and Iustyce & kepe the lawe whiche he had ordeyned but for to plese the lordes and al the people he ordeyned that he hym self shold lese one eye / and his sone another eye / to [...]hende that his sone shold not lese alle his syghte / and also [Page] that the lawe shold be kepte and Iustyce obserued /

Noli concupissere alienum

THou oughtest not to be couetyse of somme others goodes / For it is ageynst one of the commaundementes of our lawe / Tulle sayth that none ought not to[?] deme the rychesses to be hys owne ne for hym self onely / But alle waye the rychesses been and ought for to be pryncypally for the comyn wele and prouffyte of euerychone /

Illud stude agere quod bonum est

THou oughtest to studye for to doo that / that is good and nedeful vtyle and prouffytable to the body and to the sowle / Saynt Ysodore sayth / that for to doo an euyl / men loseth many goodes / For by one synne / many Iustyses been subuerted and loste / Lykewyse by one euyll been many goodis subuerted and loste / Therfore oughtest thou to put payne and dylygence for to doo euer wel / We reden of a kyng whiche had thre sones / whyche kynge at the ende of his dayes made his testamente in thys manere and fourme / that is to wete / that the moste sloutheful of hys thre sonnes shold be hys heyre / Thenne eche of them / to the ende that they myght come to the herytege beforesayd / sayd that he was moste slouthful / The fyrst sayd [...] was so slouthful / that yf he were sette soo nyghe to the fyre that his legges shold brenne / yet he wold not ryse / The se­cond sayd that he was soo slouthful / that yf he had the corde aboute hys necke for to be hanged / and in hys hande a good knyf wel sharpe / he wold not cutte the cord / The thyrd sayd that yf he were in a good bedde / and that the rayne fyl contynuelly vpon his two eyen / he wold not ryse ne meue hym neyther to the lyft ne to the right syde therfore / & to this last yaue the kyng his heritage & Iuged & helde hym for the moste slouthful of his thre sones / To speke mo­rally who this kyng is / It is to vnderstonden the deuyll of helle / the whyche is kynge and prynce of alle slouthfull folke / By the fyrst sone ben vnderstonden them whyche been in euyll and wycked companye / the whyche haue leuer for to be brente of the fyre of synne / that they lyen in / [Page] than for to leue theyr euyl felawshyp / By the second are vnderstonden them that been in dedely synne / For how be it that they ben bounde by the necke with the strenges or cordes of the deuyl / that is to wete with synnes / and condempned to d [...]th and to be hanged on the galowes of helle / Neuerthelesse they ben so slouthful and neglygent / that they wyl not cutte the corde with theyr knyf whiche is sharpe ynough / that is to wete wyth their tongue by veray and pure confessyon / By the thyrd are vnderstonden / them whiche dayly here speke of the paynes of helle and of purgatorye / and of the ioye of paradyse and of alle vyces and synnes and of confessyon / and how men ought to shryuen hem self / But alle wayes they been soo wonder negligente / that they can not confesse them self ne haue and put them out of synne whiche is at the lyfte syde / for to eschewe the paynes of helle / Ne for to goo to the ryght syde / that is by veray contrycion and repentaunce / for to gete the glorye of paradyse /

Libenter ferto amore

THou oughtest to bere and haue loue to euery man That is to say that thou oughtest to gouerne thy self in suche maner with al maner of persones with whom thou conuersest / that thou mayste haue theyr grace and loue And also thou must kepe thy self to doo ony thynge contrarye to frendshyp / by the whyche thou myghtest l [...]se theyr l [...]ue & be Indaygned of them /

¶Si deus est animus nobis vt carmina dicunt / Hic tibi praecipue sit pura mente colendus /

THe fyrst commaundemente of the fyrst partye me­trycall is / that thou oughtest to worshyp & byleue one onely god in essence / the whyche hath myght & preemynence vpon alle thynges vysyble and vnuysyble / [Page] and he is ende and begynnyng of alle thynges / As sayeth Salamon / He gouerneth alle thynges by weyghte and by [...]sure / and by hys deuyne and excellent grace he is cause that we been fourmed and created to his semblaunce and fygure / For yf he were not / and yf he gouerned vs not alle nature and kynde shold retourne to nought / as of nought hit was made / And for to beleue thys / reason techeth vs the songes and dytees of the sayntes and of the holy appostles and prophetes / As hit appereth clerely in the thre credes the whiche our moder holy chirche syngeth / that is to wete in the crede of the appostles / and in the crede whiche is songen at the masse / and in the crede whyche is conteyned in the psalme of Quicun (que) vult saluus esse &c̄ / Wherfore now wythout ony more taryeng euery one ought to worshyp and adoure hym in veray and stedfast feyth and beleue wythout ony fy [...] cions or corrumpcions / by pure deuoute and clene thoughte bycause that he is aboue alle other creatures one onely god e­ternal ende and begynnyng of alle thynge / In that tyme that the wyse Platon lyued reygned a grete pestylence soo horryble that the folke deyed sodaynly / Thenne whan Platon sawe that there reygned suche a cruel [...]esty­lence / he dyd soo moche by hys subtyltee and scyence that he knewe the cause wherof came thys pestylence and mortalytee the whiche dyd doo make a grete glasse / and after he made hit to be borne vpon an hygh mountayn / and loked wel ofte in to the sayd glasse in suche manere that he knewe and per­ceyued the cause of the sayd pestylence / For he sawe a grete multitude of peple whiche lepte out of the cyte whiche deyed and fyl sodaynly to therthe dede / Yet ageyn he loked in to the glasse and sawe in two grete valeyes / which were on bothe sydes of the moūteyn a grete multitude of dragons vpon the roches of the sayd valeyes / whyche beholden eche other and whystled and blowed moche wonderly / And thus Platon perceyued and knewe clerely that the pestylence came by the whystelyng and soufflement of the sayd dragons whiche corrumped the eyre / wherfore the peple [...]yed sodaynly / To the whyche thynge the sayd Platon founde a [Page] remedye / for he dyd doo make grete fyres in the sayd valeyes in suche manere that the sayd dragons or serpentes were con­strayned to lepe wythin the fyre and brenne them self / And thus was the cyte kepte and preserued of the pesty­lence / To speke now morally in the tyme of platon / that is to wete that tyme in the whiche reygned saynt Peter and the other appostles apperyd to holy chirche one soo grete a multi­tude of dragons that is to wete / of heretykes and mysbyle­uers / the whiche by theyr soufflemens or blowynges & false doctrynes whyche they prechyd ageynste the euangeles and ageynst the feythe whiche Ihesu cryste had yeuen and lefte vnto vs / and specyally ageynst the articles of the feythe / and sowen many errours for to haue broughte the people of cryste vnto mysbeleue / But the veray and trewe platon saynt Peter and the other appostles came / whiche haue yeuen to vs a moche fayr glasse wythin the whyche been put and seen al the artycles of our feythe / And in hit we oughte to loke ofte tymes and beleue stedfastlye vpon peyne to be brente wythin the fyre and valeye of helle / As were the dragons by the whyche artycles been confounded and destroyed the errours of the auncyent heresyes /

Plus vigila semper ne sompno deditus esto Nam diuturna quies vicijs alimenta ministrat

THou oughtest to watche in good werkys and flee slouthfulnesse / whiche is moder and nourice of alle synnes / For by ouerlonge reste and ociosyte been gendred or goten pryncypally thre grete synnes / that is to wete auaryce lecherye and ouermoche talkyng / We reden in one hystorye of grece / of a man whyche founde a nother man alle naked wythin a deserte or wode / the whyche man fledde assone as he sawe hym come / But he ranne soo longe after hym that at the laste he ouertoke hym / And thenne whan that thys naked man sawe that he [Page] myght nomore flee / he abode styll / and the other demaunded of hym why he dyd renne so longe before hym / The whiche answerd to hym / that in his londe was a kynge whiche had a toure ful of golde and syluer the whiche toure the kyng made to be kepte meruaylously / For hit was de­dicted in suche manere / that as longe as he that kepte hit watched that none myght not entre in to hit for to robbe the sayd tresour / but as sone as he slepte euery man myght entre in to hit and robbe what he wold / But for to eschewe the [...]un­gers and parellis of the sayd toure to the ende that he myght not lese his tresoure / he gaue euery nyght to hym that wold watche hit a precious stone whiche had suche properte & vertu that who sommeuer had hit in his hande he myght not slepe But assone as the stone fyl from his hande / he forthwyth began to slepe / Thenne the sayd kyng dyd doo make a crye vpon payne to lese the heed / that he whiche shold kepe hys toure / shold not lete falle from his hand the sayd stone / to the ende that he shold not slepe and that he shold not lese hys tresoure / Thenne happed that on a nyght I was commytted for to kepe the sayd tresour and for to watche wythin the said toure / but I lete falle the sayd stone out of myn hande / and Incontynent I began toslepe / and whyle that I slepte the tre­sour of the sayd kyng was robbed / Wherfore feryng the punycion and sentence of the sayd kyng I am fledde and come in to thys deserte as thou seest / To speke morally by the same kynge is vnderstonden god the fader / whiche is kynge of kynges and lord of alle lordes / By the toure and tre­soure thou oughtest to vnderstonde the humayn man in to the whyche god hath put a moche grete tresoure of alle gra [...]s and vertues / By hym that kepte and watched the sa [...]d toure is to be vnderstonden the reason and wytte of the man / For whyle that reason watcheth in the man / It is Impos­syble that the vyces and synnes entre wythin the toure / that is to wete in to the man / but assone as reason slepeth and wytte fayleth / the vyces and synnes entren in to the toure / That is to wete wythin the man and robben and putten to nought the tresoure of the kynge that is to wete the vertues of the man / Therfore he is put and [Page] condempned to be in the deserte vnto the tyme that he shal haue made satisfaccion / And therfore hit appereth clerely that euery man ought to watche in good werkes / By the precious stone is vnderstonden Ihesu cryste / whiche kepeth vs fro slepe of synne whan we haue in our memorye his blessyd passyon

Virtutem primam esse puto compescere linguam Proximus ille deo qui sit racione tacere

THou oughtest to be stylle and speke by reason and mesure in tyme and place couenable / For he whiche can kepe his pees and speke by reason and mesure / is byloued of god / bycause that it is the fyrst and pryncypall vertue that the man may haue for the grete euyl whiche folo­wen therof / As the noyses and dyscencions / whiche ben moeuyd emonge the folke of what someuer estate or condycyon that they be of / Salomon sayth that who can kepe his pees & speke as tyme and place requyreth / he is ryght wyse and nexte frende vnto god /

It is redde that the deuyl by the space of thyrty yere and moo had assayed hym self for to haue put dyscorde and noyse betwene a marchaunt of clothe and his wyf / the whiche bothe were of ryght good lyuyng and loued wel eche other / the whiche deuyll myght not fynde the manere for to put and brynge them to dyscencion and dyfferente / Thenne the deuyl put hym self in to the lykenesse of a yonge man / and after he wente on a waye where as he wel wyst / passed by ofte a bawde / and sette hym doun vnder a tree moche thoughtfull / tryste and wooful by semblaunce / and helde in his hande a pourse ful of syluer / And after as the sayd bawde passed by the sayd waye / she founde the same yonge man sittyng on the waye / the whyche demaunded of hym whome he abode there and why that he was so thoughtful & in so mornyng chere / The yonge man answerd that he shold gyue hir the purse ful of syluer whyche he helde in hys hande / yf she wold swere and promytte to hym to doo that / that he shold telle to hyr [Page] the whyche swore and promytted to hym that she shold doo alle that he shold commaunde to hyr / Thenne sayd to hyr the yonge man / I doubte sayd he moche to be punysshed in helle bycause that I haue ben thyrty yere & more for to haue put dyscorde and stryf betwixte suche a draper and his wyf / And therfore I gyue to the frely this purs yf thou canst put dyscencion betwene them / Thenne this bawde toke the purse and yede Incontynent for to speke to the wyf of the sayd draper and sayd thus to hyr / Helas lady I haue grete ruthe and compassyon on you / For your husbond [...]s at myn hows and by his wyckednesse hath done so moche that he hath had the companye of a yonge woman whyche dwel­leth with me & hath promysed to hir for to gyue hir a go [...]ne clothe of the beste and fynest that is wythin his hows / Ha sayd the good bourgeyse I shold not conne beleue hit for I haue euer founde hym good and feythful / Certeynly sayd the olde bawde I haue founden them in the dede doynge / And to morowe ye shal see the experyence of hit whan she shal come fetche the clothe / And after the said bawde wente and spake wyth the husbond of the sayd burgeyse and tolde hym that she had founde his wyf within the chyrche spekyng wyth a clerke / And that she vnderstood of them that hys wyf wold robbe hym / and goo bothe to gyder out of the londe Ha sayd the husbond I can not beleue hit / For wel I wote that my wyf is trewe and feythful vnto me / Certeynly said she I ensure you that it is trouthe / & in shorte tyme ye shall see them bothe spekyng to gyder / Thenne wente the olde woman vnto his hows and sente the yonge woman whyche dwellyd in her hows / for to bye clothe of the sayd draper / And whan the drapers wyf sawe hyr / she thoughte and beleued that / that the olde woman had tolde vnto hyr was trewe / wherfore she toke soo grete malencolye that she coude not sowpe for woo / Wherof her husbond was moche abasshed For as thenne he had suspecyon on hyr of that / that the bawde had tolde hym / whyche on that other syde began for to make euyl chere also / And on the morne nexte the olde woman dyd so moche that the yōge clerke spake with the said [Page] bourgeys wyf seyng her husbond which supposeth to be trouth that the olde woman had tolde to hym / And yet ageyn the olde bawde yede for to speke wyth the bourgeys wyf and said to hyr maystresse be you now certeyn of that / that I tolde you certeynly ye be loste without ye put to hit remedye / Helas sayd the bourgeyse what remedye myght I put therto / I shal telle hit to you sayd the olde thoman / doo so moche that thys nyght ye haue a rasere / and whan he shal be layed in his bedde and that he shal slepe ye shal kutte thre heeris of hys berde & ye shal brenne them / and after ye shal make hym to ete them For after that he hath eten them / he shal neuer torne ageyn toward the sayd yonge woman / but shal hate hir vnto dethe and yet he shal loue you better thenne he dyd before / Certeynly sayd the bourgeyse ye say right wel / and I shall doo as ye haue sayd / And after thys the olde woman yede for to speke ageyn to her husbond / to whome she sayd that his wyf wold that same nyght goo wyth the sayd clerke / & that she wold cutte his throte by nyght whan he shold slepe and how his wyf had a raser for to cutte his throte therwith and how she shold make hym dronke / Thenne as they had sowped the draper helde the countenaunce of a dronken man and fayned hym self dronke & sayd that he wold goo slepe and assone as he was layed he made semblaunte to slepe / And thenne his wyf wente and took the raser for to haue cutte thre heeris of his berde as the olde woman had tolde to h [...]r / but he whiche slepte not toke hyr by the hande vpon the whiche she helde the raser / Thenne callyd he hys seruauntes and shewed to them euydently how his wyf wold kylle and put hym to dethe / And the nexte morne he maunded & sente for hyr parentes frendes and neyghbours / and after sayd to them al the manere how she wold haue cutte his throte / the whiche wyf as ouercomen and vaynquysshed coude not saye one word / for she myght not say the contrarye / But there was a good trewe man a chappelayn whiche dyd lede hyr asyde [...]th requyred to hyr that she wold telle to hym all the pure trouthe of hit / And the woman reherced and tolde vnto hym word by word how the olde woman had counceylled hyr for to doo alle that whiche ye haue herde / And after he [Page] called the draper whiche also tolde to hym alle hys fayte / Thenne was the olde woman sente fore / whiche was peyned and constrayned to say alle the certeynte and the trouthe of alle the fayte / And after whan they knewe the grete treson of the olde bawde they were frendes and loued eche other more than they dyd before / By thys ensaumple appereth clerely that many euyls comen by wycked and euyl tunges / and by euyl reportes

Sperne repugnando tibi tu contrarius esse Conueniet nulli qui secum defidet ipse

THou oughtest not to chaunge thy counceyl whan it is good and vtyle / Ne to be contrarye to thy self / For he which is contrarye to hym self shal not accorde with none other / And therfore thou oughtest to be sted­fast and constaunt wythin thy self wythouten mutacion con­trarye to reason and trouthe / It is redde in an hystorye of Rome / that an emperour of rome whiche was moche auncyent or olde / maryed hym to a moche fayre quene / the whyche knewe hir owne cook in suche manere that she had by hym a chylde male / And the emperour wenyng that it had ben his sone / whan the chylde was of age he betoke hym to a phylo­sophre / But sone after the emperour deyed / thenne the said phylosophre consyderyng that he was olde and nygh to hys dethe / Also bycause that he knewe the condycions of the said chylde and yonge emperour / and who was his fader / Reherced vnto the said chylde his byrthe and who had begoten hym sayeng in this manere / knowe thou that thou arte noble by thy moders syde / and not by thy faders syde / For thou arte sone of the cook of the Emperour / And bycause that thou art of ryght noble blode by thy moders syde thou takest on the and enchaunsest thy self for to doo hygh and excellent prowesses and dedes wherof thou becomest and wexest prowde / and thou dyspreysest the dukes / erles & barons of thy courte wherfore they desyre more thy dethe than thy lyf / Item on the other partye / bycause that thou art of vylayn blood by thy [Page] faders syde / thou settest thy self to dyshoneste playes and [...] many vyces / wherfore thou arte dyspreysed by the prynces & barons / and thus as moche of one partye as of the other thou myght wel lese thyn empyre / But to thende that thou mayst eschewe the sayd vyces and Inconuenyentes / I shal gyue to the a good doctryne / For from hens forthon thou shalt doo make to the a gowne of two manere of clothe / wherof the one parte shal be of ryght fyne clothe / & the other parte of right cours clothe / to the ende that whan thou shalt be tempted for to doo somme thynge dyshoneste and fowle / thou loke on the half of thy gowne whiche is of so fyne clothe / that is to wete that thou shalt consydere how thou arte of noble blood by thy moders syde / And thus thou shalt chastyse the by thyn owne self / Semblably whan thou wylt doo hygh and excellente faytes or dedes / looke on the other parte of thy gowne whiche is of cours and foule clothe / that is to wete that thou muste consydere and thynke how thou arte right foule by thy faders syde / and thus thou shalt kepe thy self fro pryde / and thou shalt be euer vnyed wythin thy self / Ne thou shalt neuer do no thynge contrarye to thy self /

Si vitam inspicias hominum si denique mores Cum culpas alios nemo sine crimine viuit

THou oughtest not for to Iuge / to blame ne to dispreyse other / For whan thou blamest and dyspreysest the other / thou oughtest to thynke and consydere / that none lyueth without blame / Wherfore thou must be first with out synne / and vertuous / than for to wyl make the other to be vertuous and without synnes / We reden in vitis patrum that saynt moyses the hermyte was chosen for to Iuge his bro­ther / whiche was gylty / and in synne / the whiche Hermyte toke a sacke ful of grauel or sonde / & bare hit vpon his backe And whan he was demaunded why he bare the sayd sacke and what was therin / he answerd that hit were his synnes the whyche men may not see / And yet thys day sayd he I am chosen for to Iuge the synnes of the other /

Que noscitura tenes quamuis sint cara relinque Vtilitas opibus preponi tempore debent

THou oughtest to leue al thynge whiche ben contrarye to the / how be it that they ben dere / precyous and dylectable / For the vtilyte / that is to wete worshyp & good renommee as wel of the body as of the sowle and lyf spirituel ought for to be preferred byfore alle the rychessys & al worldly plesures whiche ben transitorye and sone passed / Yf thyn eye sclaunder or shame thy self put hit fro the / For better is for to lese one eye / than the hole body / We see by experyence / that whan a dogge bereth a pyece of flessh / in his mowthe / whan he seeth the shadowe of the flesshe that he bereth and weneth to take the shadowe of the sayd pyece whiche is gret­ter than the pyece / he is begyled for he fyndeth no thynge / In lyke wyse many one leue for to serue god / for to serue the vanytees and plesures of this World / Whiche ben but shado­we to the regarde of the glorye of paradyse / therfore we ought to leue them / for they are to vs chargeable and greuous / how be it / that they ben holden dere and moche delectables /

Constans et leuis vt res expostulat esto Temporibꝰ mores sapiens sine crimine mutat

THou oughtest to be constaunt and stedfast as moche as the thynge requyreth in tyme & in place / as Well in prosperyte as in aduersite / For the sage may and can chaunge hym self wythout ony blame ne synne in tyme and in place / For somtyme of nede he must be swete and peasyble and somtyme sharpe and rygorous / The constaunt & stedfast man geteth moche of temp [...]rall goodes and of vertues And by the contrarye the man vnconstaunt dyspendeth moche goodes and falleth in to many vyces and synnes / The sage [Page] saith that dyuerse condycions been answerynge to many one in dyuerse placys / and saith that there is one tyme for to speke and one tyme for to holde his pees / tyme to be borne / & tyme to be nourisshed / tyme for to laughe / and tyme for to wepe / Tyme for to sette trees and herbys / and tyme for to sowe & heruest / Tyme for to spare and tyme for to dyspende / Tyme of warre / and tyme of pees / But in alle tymes thou oughtest to be stedfast and constaunt and not flyttyng /

Cumque mones aliquem nec se velit ipse moneri Si tibi sit carus noli desistere ceptis

THou oughtest to resiste and admoneste thy frende by swete wordes and al other persones / and whan they wyl not chastyse them by thy wordes / thou oughtest euer to perseuere in gyuyng to them more and more good admonestement wythout sessyng / specially whan they be thy dere frendes /

Contra verbosos noli contendere verbis Sermo datur cunctis animi sapiencia paucis

THou oughtest not to stryue ne take noyse wyth them that ben ful of superfluous wordes / and Iniurious For the speche is gyuen to euery persone / but the scyence and connyng for to refrayne and amodere his corage & hys yre is gyuen to fewe folke / Fyrst none ought to take stryf with the noble man & puyssaunt / bycause that somtyme thou myghtest falle in to his daunger / Secondly wyth the ryche man / bycause that thorugh the meane of his golde & syluer he myght fynde the manere for to lette and greue the / Thyrdly with hym whiche is ful of superfluous & Iniurious wordes / bycause that thou mayst haue therof no worshyp alle be hit that thou had good cause and trewe / And also ageynst hym whiche gladly taketh stryf and noyse with euery man and without reason / for by litel wordes men comen ofte vnto grete wordes of the whic [...] sourden ofte grete Inconuenyentes [Page] It is redde in vitas Patrum / that an holy man named macarye to whome was reueled and tolde by dyuyne wylle that there were within a cytee whiche was nyghe his dwellyng two wymmen and two brethern / the whyche had neuer noyse ne neuer stryf to gyder / neyther in worde ne in dede nor in thought / To the whyche he yede for to see / as hit was commaū ded to hym in goddes behalue / But as sone as the good wymmen sawe thys holy hermyte / they began to crye with an hygh voys sayeng / Ha syr wold to god that hit were the plesure of our husbondes that we myght entre in to relygyon / For this world is not plesaunt to vs bycause of the noyses and stryues whiche ben made in hit fro day to day / Thenne the ho­ly fader comforted them and sayd that they shold perseuere stylle as they were acustomed in good loue and dyleccion [...] longe [...]s hit shold please to god and to theyr husbonde

Dilige sic alios vt sis tibi carus amicus Sic bonus esto bonis ne te mala dampna sequantur

THou oughtest to loue euery persone / and fyr [...] [...]yn owne self / For thou oughtest in suche man [...] [...] good toward euery man / that none euyl or [...] m [...]y come therof to the / for the charite ought to begynne at thy self / Therfore sayth saynt Austyn / that men ought to sette and put ordre in charite and in loue / Fyrst men ought to loue god for he is lord ouer vs / Secondly our sowle and thoughte bycause that they ben emonge vs Thyrdly our neyghbours & frendes and the aungels bycause that they been besides vs / Also men ought to loue the thynges outward whiche are wythout / bycause that they ben by vs of the whyche we lyue corporally / The fyrst token is for hym whiche loueth the / hereth g [...]adly to speke of the / The second for he speketh ofte and gladly of the / The thyrd for he thyn­keth o [...]tymes on the wythout to be wery of hit / The fourthe for he layeth his body and his good in to daunger to thy nede [Page] The fyfthe for he kepeth me from dommage / The vj for he p [...] aseth the harme and offence that men haue doon to the / The seuenth for he hath ioye of thy prosperyte and good fortune / The viij bycause that he hath ioye to see the and thy pre­sence / The ix for he taketh dysplesure for thyn absence / The x for he loueth that that thou louest / & hateth that whiche thou hatest / The xj for he peyneth hym self for to doo to the sōme plesure / The xij for he doubteth to doo to the ony dysplesure The xiij for he taketh payne on hym for to brynge the other vnto thy loue / The xiiij for he kepeth derely that / that thou gyuest to hym / The xv for he doeth that / that thou counceyl­lest to hym / The xvj for he trustely demaundeth to the coun­ceyl vpon his dedes /

Rumores fuge ne incipias nouus auctor haberi Nam nulli tacuisse nocet / nocet esse loqutum

THou oughtest not to entremete thy self / forto reherce tydynges and lesynges to the ende that men say not that thou arte an auctour and maker of lesynges and of newe tydynges / For fewe wordes letten but fewe ofte / but ouermany wordes letten ful ofte / Therfore men must be stylle in pees / and speke Whan nede is / for ouer many wor­des may not be wythout vyces and synnes / Item the sage sayth that ouermoche speche is contrarye to nature / bycause that nature hath ordeyned to vs one mowthe and two eerys in betokenyng that we ought to here twyes as moche as we speke / For euery man ought to be lyght to heeryng / and slowe to speke / Therfore sayd Socrates to a man that spake ouermoche / here me sayd he thou that hast but one mowthe & two eerys by nature / oughtest to here twyes so moche / as that thou spekest /

Rem tibi promissam certam promittere noli Ram fides ideo quia multi multa loquntur

[Page]THou oughtest not to promytte to none other / that thynge whiche is promysed to the / to be sure and certeyn whiche by aduenture is vncerteyn / and therfore men ought not to byleue ne adiouste feyth to the sayeng of many one / For many one sayen oftymes the contrarye of that / that they wyl doo / Thus as thou sholdest promytte to somme other to gyue to hym ten flocyns / the whiche are promysed to the for certeyn / thou myght be founden a lyer / for he whyche promysed them to the for certeyn / by aduenture he shal not do hit / And therfore thou oughtest not to promyse ne to assigne somme other vpon that / that thou hast not yet in dede / For he whiche lightly promytteth / is ofte holden and founden for a lyer / Men say comynly that he is a fole that promytteth for to gyue the ele whiche he holdeth onely / but by the tayle whyche may lightly escape fro hym /

Cum te quis laudat iudex tuus esse memento Plus alijs de te quam tu tibi credere noli

THou oughtest to be Iuge of the praysyng which men [...] gyues to the / For thou oughtest m [...]re to beleue thy self that knoweth the trouthe / than to beleue folysshly that / that other men saye [...] of the / as do [...]e these fla­terers whiche wyl Impetre and haue grace toward somme o­ther by flaterye / After that it is founde in droyt canon / there is foure maners of praysynges / Fyrst whan men attribueth to the / the good whiche thou hast not / Secondly whan men enhaunceth ouermoche the good whyche thou hast not / Thyrdly whan men reproueth the euyl whiche thou hast & that is knowen in the / And also whan somme other lyeth wyl­fully for to please the / Item for foure thynges thou ough­test not to beleue these flaterers / The fyrst is bycause that they be lyke to hunters and to them that take byrdes whiche wyll take them wyth theyr grynnes and swete wordes / The second bycause that they ben lyke to the marmayde whyche causeth [Page] the maryners for to slepe / and after maketh them to be peris­shed / thus doon the flaterers by theyr swete wordes / and after make the for to falle in to many vyces and synnes / The thyrd for they been lyke to the scorpyon and to the hony flye / the whiche enoynten before and prycken hard behynde / The fourth bycause that they been lyke rubbers whyche rubken the wylde oxen for to take them / For they rubben and clawe theyr heedes / to the ende that they may take and lede them to theyr dethe / wherfore thou oughtest to fle al suche decepcions whiche are founded on swete wordes dysceyuable /

Officium alterius / multis narrare memento At (que) alijs cum tu benefeceris / ipse sileto

THou oughtest to reherce and telle vnto many one the faytes and dedes of other / that is to wete the bene­faytes that the other haue done to the / to thende that thou be not reputed and holden vnkynde / Of the good offy­ces and benefyces whiche men haue done and gyuen to the / But whan thou shalt doo to somme other somme good / thou oughtest to holde thy pees therof / and to doo them so secretely that thy lyft hande may not knowe that / that thy right hande doeth / That is to say that thou oughtest for to doo hyt wyth­outen ony ypocresye and vaynglorye / bycause that the ypocrytes gyuen more for to haue preysyng of the world / than for the loue of god / Saynt Austyn sayth that euery creature ought to preyse god and to rendre and yelde hym graces & thankes of all the goodes and benefaytes that he doeth & hath done to hym / And thys is approued by the foure Elementes Fyrst sayth the erthe prayseth god / or ellys I shal swalowe the wythin me / as I dyd dathan and abyron / The water sayth / preyse god or ellys I shal drowne the wythin me with the delycious folke ful of vaynglorye / as I dyd at the deluge of waters / The fyre sayth prayse god or ellys I shal brenne the wyth them of sodome / The eyer sayth prayse god / or ellys [Page] I shal ouerblowe the with the Iewes / that is to wete yf thou rendre not graces and thankes vnto god of al his benefay­tes /

Multo (rum) cum facta senex et dicta [...]ecences Fac tibi succurrant iuuenis quia feceris ipse

tHou oughtest to take ensaumple to the faytes and sayenges of thauncient / whiche haue ben vertuous & of good & honeste lyf / to thende that th [...]u be vertuous as they haue ben / for thou oughtest to gouerne thy self so wysely in [...]hy yongthe / that thou maist haue socour & helpe in thyn olde age / for the fayr dedes / prouesses & vertues whiche thou shalt haue done in thy yongthe / to thende that thou haue therof praysyng & prouffite bothe of god & of the world / & also to thend [...] that thou be ensaumple to them that shal come after the / We haue an ensaumple of a prophete named eleazare whyche loued better to deye / than for to do or consente to do ageynst the lawe / to thende that euery man shold take ensaumple to hys grete constaunce & stedfastnesse after his deth / bycause that he deyed for to holde & susteyne the lawe & trouthe / and said that none ought to glorefye hym self of oldenesse of age wythout that he haue oldenesse of sapyence and of vertue /

Ne cures si quis tacito sermone loquatur Concius ipse sibi de se putat omnia dici

tHou oughtest not to ca [...]e yf thou see somme folke spekyng secretly to gyder / that is to wete whan [...]hou arte pure & clene without vyce & without blame / bycause that he whiche is gylty & ful of vyces & of synnes wenyth that al that men say in secrete / is of his fayte or dede / bycause that he is euer in doubte & in remoxs of conscience / Saynt Luc recounteth in his viij chappytre of a Iewe whiche sayd & supposed in hym self / whan marye magdalene wesshed the feet of crist with hir teris / & wyped them with hyr heerys / and thought yf suche a man had ben an holy prophete and an holy man / he had not suffred that a synner had touched hym wherfore he had suspecion in hys herte that Ihesu Cryste was a false prophete and an vntrewe / [Page] And for this cause we ought not to haue suspecyon vpon o­ther for so moche that they speke secretely to gyder or do sōme other thynge secrete / whan we knowe nor vnderstonde not the cause why / for rather we ought to thynke & suppose wel than euyl / for the doubtous thynge ought to be interpreted to the better partye / & suppose rather & soner wel than euyl /

Cum fueris felix que sunt aduersa caueto Non eodem cursu respondet vltima primis

tHou oughtest to doubte & flee fortune / how be it that thou be ryche & myghty of goodes bothe temporal & spiritual / for in tyme of habundaunce men haue memorye & mynde of pouerte / but alwayes thou must kepe thy self for to gete ne withholde vniustly the richesses euyl goten / For moche ofte the laste thynges been not lyke to the fyrst / The whele of fortune waxeth & waneth as dothe the mone / For neuer hit holdeth not in one poynte / for Incontynent hyt chaungeth fro prosperite in to aduersite / Therfore it is said that the last thynge resembleth not by one lyke cours to the first thynges / For fortune holdeth hyr neuer in one poynte / Therfore sayth Boece of consolacion / that he whiche falleth is not sted­fast / that is to say / that he whiche cometh fro prosperite in to aduersyte is not wel happy /

Cum dubia & fragilis sit nobis vita tributa In mortem alterius spem tu tibi ponere noli

tHou oughtest not to haue hope in the deth of other for to haue his good after hys dethe / bycause that our lyf is freall / doubtous and ryght vncerteyn / For assone deyeth yonge as olde / For men fynde at the markette hows moo skynnes of calues / than of kyen / Whan the kyng alisaunder had wonne the batayle ageynst the kyng of Perse / he retourned to his palays ryal in babylonye / & as sone as he was set atte table / a wylde byrde entred within the halle / which flewe many tymes about the halle & after sette & rested hym on the table before the Emperour / and there the byrde leyed an egge [Page] and after hit flewe out of the halle in to the feldes / Of the whiche egge yssued Incontynent a lytel worme whiche went rounde about the egge for to haue entred ageyn in to hit / but he coude neuer fynde the hole where thorugh hit was yssued / wherfore he deyed / whan the kyng alyxaunder sawe thys / he was moche abasshed / & as dremyng thought al the nyght on hit / & supposed that it had ben somme token of treson / And yet on that same nyght a woman of the cyte was delyuerd of a chylde halfe man and halfe beest / the which halfe humayn was dede / and the other halfe beest was on lyue / the whyche chylde was broughte vnto Alyxaunder for to see / Wherof he was more abasshed / than he had ben before of the byrde / thēne he made al his astrologiens to be gadred & assembled to gyder for to knowe & Iuge what the sayd thynge betokened / The whiche were al of one opynyon that these wonders & meruayles betoken his deth / Thenne one of them spake for al before Alyxaunder / and sayd that the egge whiche is rounde betokened the world / and that the lytel worme betokenyd Alex­aunder / For as the litel worme myght not retourne to the h [...]le of the egge where thorugh he came out of / Right so alixaun­der whiche had wonne & subdued al the world alle aboute / shold neuer retourne in to Grece out of whiche londe he was yssued / and tolde and concluded before hym / that the goddes had ordeyned that he shold deye / And the forsaid astrologyen said the childe whiche is halfe deed & halfe on lyue / halfe man & halfe beest betokeneth that now thou arte but halfe man / for thou arte nygh to thy dethe / And thy successours shal be lyke to lyuyng beestes / to the regarde of the and of thy prouesses whiche thou hast doon / Thenne whan alyxaunder herde these tydynges he lyfte vp his eyen toward heuen / and began to crye wyth an hygh voys / O my grete and souerayn god Iupyter I see now wel that this world gyueth lytel gwerdon & rewarde / helas I wende to haue lyued so longe in this world thai I myght haue accomplisshed al my wylle / & now I must deye / I knowe clerely that none oughte not to truste to longe lyf in this world as I haue done / nor hauyng hope on the dethe of other / as I haue had hytherto /

Exiguum munus / cum det tibi pauper amicus Accipito placide plene / et laudare memento

tHou oughtest to take with thanke the lytel yefte of thy frende / For how be hit that it is lytel / thou must take hit gladly / and hit ought to be to the more agreable & more plesaunt / than yf a ryche man had gyuen it to the Therfore whan men gyuen to the / thou oughtest not to haue regarde vnto the yefte yf hit be lytel or grete / but thou ough­test to haue rewarde to the wylle & affeccyon of hym that gy­ueth hit to the / & ought to take hit with good herte & to remercye & thanke playnly / for al be hit neuer so lytel / yf thou sholdest refuse hit / thou sholdest do to hym that gyueth hit shame & vergoyne / Q uintilianus reherceth of a poure man and of a ryche man that hadden two gardyns whyche gardyns were ioynyng to gyder / The poure man had in hys gardyn many hony flees or bees / and the ryche had in his gardyn many fayre floures / the whiche ryche man made to telle to the poure man / that he was euyl apayed of his bees whiche came in to his gardyn to take the hony vpon his floures / and the poure man made therof no grete care / but lette his flees goo as they were acustomed / Thenne whan the ryche man sawe that he cared not / he wente and caste venym vpon his floures in suche manere / that whan the bees sette them vpon the sayd floures they were alle poys [...]ned and in parelle of dethe / But the poure man whyche was a good medecyne / put sōme remedye to hit / and bycause that he wyst wel that the oyle & the wyne were contrarye to venym / he toke two lytel vessels whiche he had al onely and nomore / and fylled that one wyth oyle & the other with vynaygre / the vynaygre he cast vpon the flees / & with the oyle he enoynted them / Morally to speke / by thys poure man whiche loued wel derely his bees or flees / thou ougtest to vnderstonde Ihesu Cryste / And by the ryche man the deuyll of helle / And by the flees the men and wymmen of thys world / For whan the deuyl had poysonned the men of this world by vyces and synnes and that they were condempned to the dethe / Bycause that they had gadred and taken the hony from ouer the floures / [Page] that is to wete in carnalitees and in many vyces delectables and swete to the persone / as is the hony / Thenne Ih̄u Crist the souerayn medecyne / toke two lytel vessels of oyle and of vanaygre whiche he had onely / that is to wete that by his sorowful and aygre or soure and bytter passyon / bought and reysed vs fro dethe vnto lyf ageyn / and after he enoynted vs of the oyle / that is to wete of the grace of the holy ghoost Certeyn euery persone may say / that hit was a moche preci­ous yefte whyche our redemptour gaue to vs / whan he dyd caste and shedde his precious blood vpon his flees / that is [...] wete vpon the synnars / in byeng them ageyn from bytter deth and enoynted them after of the oyle of mysericorde /

Infantem nudum cum te natura creauit Paupertatis onus pacienter ferre memento

tHou oughtest to suffre and bere pacyently the faytes & charges of pouerte / bycause that nature hath created the pourely & al naked out of thy moders wombe / for whan thou came in to this world thou haddest nought / & w [...]n thou shalt goo & leue hit / thou shalt bere wyth the no thynge Therfore sayth Boece that we be borne alle naked within the wombe of our moders / & yet shal we retourne al naked in to the wombe of our moder / that is in to the erthe / Therfore oughtest thou to bere the faytes of pouerte paciently / the chylde newe borne & comyng out of his moders wombe maketh th [...]e thynges / first he wepeth / And thēne he prophecyeth the euylles whiche he shal suffre in this world / as longe as he shal be on lyue / Secondly he putteth his face toward therthe / as a beest in signe or token that he is compared to the dombe beestes / Thirdly for he holdeth the hande in hys mouthe in tokenyng that bycause of the first synne of our first parentes / he ought to suffre many paynes in this world / whiche synne they cōmysed or made by theyr mowthe in etyng the fruyte whiche was de­fended & forboden / Saynt austyn recounteth in his book de ciuitate / that somtyme a man desyred and had thre goddesses to dyner / that is to wete Iuno goddesse of myrthe & of myghte Pallas goddesse of sapyence and of wysedom / And venus goddesse of loue and of benyuolence / [Page] but bycause that he bad not boden the goddesse of dys­corde / she was therfore gretely wrothe / the whyche took an apple of golde / aboute the whiche was wryten / To the fayrest be hit gyuen / And after caste hit in the myddel of the sayd goddesses / and as sone as they sawe the apple eche of theym wold haue had hit / but for to eschewe theyr stryf and debate they ordeyned a Iuge / that is to wete Parys for to adiuge and gyue hit to the moste fayrest / the whiche Iuged & gaue hit to the goddesse of loue and benyuolence / as to the fayrest To speke morally by these thre goddesses / are vnderstonden thre tymes / that is to wete the tyme of nature in which reyg­ned moche puyssaunce and myght / For in tyme passed reyg­ned many geauntes stronge & myghty / Item the tyme of the lawe wryten / in whiche reygned moche sapyence & wysedom / For the same tyme were founden the sciences / Item also the tyme of grace and of loue / that is to wete whan our lord descended in to this world / But the goddesse of discorde / that is to wete the deuyll / caste the apple amonge the sayd goddes­sis / that is to wete in thys world / by slouthe / Neuerthelesse for the dyscorde that the deuyl put betwyxte god & the man by synnes / the sone of god whiche is the veray apple wolde descende in to this world wythin the goddesse of loue and benyuolence / that is to wete wythin the precious wombe of the vyrgyn marye / the which after was borne al naked & pourely as the other men / & after receyued dethe & passyon and re­tourned al naked there as he was comen fro / the whyche by his worthy and precious passyon boughte vs ageyn from the peynes of helle /

Ne timeas illam quae vite est vltima finis Qui mortem metuit dum viuit perdit idipsum

tHou oughtest not to doubte the deth the whiche is ende of this lyf / for who that doubteth hit / he falleth alle moste in desperacion / & it is signe & token that he euyl & wickedly hath ledde his lyf in this world / & that he hath not made satisfaccion ne penaunce of his synnes / Seneque sayth that the dethe is to vs naturelle / and not paynefull / [Page] For bycause that we shold deye we are come in to thys world This rule is gyuen to euery man / and approued of euery man / Therfore hit ought to be kepte of alle men wythouten doubtaunce / We reden of an abbot named agatho / the whiche whan he shold deye / thre dayes before his dethe helde his eyen open / wythout moeuyng of hym self / Thenne the brethern seyng this demaunded and sayd to hym / fader what doo ye / and where are ye / The whyche answerd to them & sayd / before our lord abydyng his Iugement / Thenne the brethern said to hym / thenne fader doubte ye the dethe / To whome he sayd / Notwythstondyng that alle the dayes of my lyf I haue to my power kepte al the commaundementes of god / Neuerthelesse I ne wote yet yf I am worthy to haue the grace of god or not / For there is moche grete dyfference betwyxte the Iugement of god & the Iugement of man / and sayd at the ende / Knowe ye that I doubte not the corporal dethe / but I doubte the deth spirituel / They wold yet haue enterroged hym but to them he said speke nomore to me for I am empesched & ocupyed & haue moche thynges to doo / the whiche sone after rendred and yelded his spyrite or sowle /

Si tibi pro meritis nemo respondet amicus Incusare deum noli set te ipse coherce

tHou oughtest not to blame god for as moche as thou hast no frendes / Notwithstōdyng that thou hast done many seruyces & moche good to somme other whyche knowen ne remembren hit not / & shewe them not to be thy frendes / for thou oughtest to refrayne & amodere thy self / & not to speke folisshly in sweryng & dyspytyng god / bycause that fortune & thy frendes ben ageynst & contrarye to the / But thou oughtest to say as the trewe man Iob said / god yaue hit to me / god hath taken hit fro me / It is done as hit hath pleased to god / god be thanked of al / Latence recounteth an hys­torye of the cite of rome the whiche was in grete pouerte by fortune of warres / but there was in the said cite a noble Romayn whyche for the comyn wele of the cyte exposed and dyspendyd alle hys rychesse in suche manere that for the co­myn wele he became ryght powre / [Page] It happed ones that he passed thorughe a deserte where he founde a colompne or pyler where vpon was an ymage or statue whiche had one hande vp ryght shewyng toward a moū tayn whiche was nygh thens / and the other hande helde on his syde / But the sayd Romayn wente nygh to the sayd y­mage whyche he behelde moche wel / Thenne whan the sonne smote vpon the sholders of the sayd ymage / the shadowe of the hande whiche was vpright resplendysshed vpon the sayd mounteyn / And in dede the Romayn went toward the said mountayn for to see what it was / that thymage shewed with the hande / and there he founde a yate of yron whyche was shette / wherof he was moche merueyled and thoughte in hym self to retourne toward the said ymage and supposed to fynde there the keye of the yate of yron vnder the other hande of the sayd ymage / And as he had thought and supposed he fonde the keye vnder the sayd hande wythin a lytel yate of yron / whiche keye he toke & retourned toward the mounteyn where he had founde the yate of yron / the whiche he opened & foūde therin a grete tresoure of the whiche he made ryche bothe hym self / and the cyte also / And therof he rendred graces and thankes to god hys creatour and maker that had gyuen to hym more goodes than euer he had / had before /

Ne tibi quid desit quesitis vtere parce Vt que quod et serues semper tibi deesse putato

tHou oughtest to dyspende thy goten goodes by me­sure to the ende that they fayle ne lacke not in tyme to come / For thou oughtest euer to thynke that they may fayle to the wythin a lytel space of tyme / and that whan thou haddest loste them / thou haddest loste thy lyf and thy substaunce / Therfore thou oughtest not to gyue them to thy frendes nor dyspende them so largely / that thou ne reteyne somme of hit for the tyme whyche is yet to come / That is to saye / to speke morally / that thou oughtest to gouerne thy self in suche [Page] manere in this world / that at the ende thou mayst haue the lyf eternal / and to kepe so wel the commaundementes of god that at the ende they lac [...]e ne fayle not to the / for to haue & gete the lyf eternal / Men may vse the goodes of this world vnlawfully in thre maners / First whan one dyspendeth them Illicitly and wylfully wythout cause / Secondly whan men dyspenden them ouergladly and haboundauntly / Thyrdly whan men holde and kepe them and vse them auariciously wythout departyng of them to the poure peple /

Quod prestare potes ne bis promiseris vlli Ne sis ventosus dū vis bonus ipse videri

tHou oughtest to gyue whan thou mayst wythout promyttyng a thynge twyes in delayeng hyt from day to day / For none ought to say one thynge / and thynke the contrarye / to the ende that he be not reputed & hol­den for a lyer and for a bygyler / specially whan thou wylt be holden for a good man and a trewe / and yet thou ough­test to put thy self in payne for to haue good fame or renom mee / and good praysyng / Hit foloweth thre euyl pryncipalle / for to promytte & not holde the promysse / Fyrst bycause that he to whome thou hast pro­mytted to gyue a cexteyn somme of syluer or other thynge / at a certeyn day / trusteth thy wordes & holdeth hym for sure to haue at the sayd day / that whiche thou hast promytted to hym / and vpon that truste he may assygne and promytte the sayd thynge to another at the sayd day / And thus whan thou faylest and begylest hym / he fayleth also to the other and he is reputed and holden for a lyer / and yf thou haddest not promytted to hym / he had pourueyed hym self ellys where / Secondly bycause that he falseth his feythe / and is reputed for a begyler / Thyrdly bycause that men owe to the / therfore neyther thanke ne grace whan thou taryest to gyue ouerlonge therfore it is sayd who gyueth sone gyueth twyes /

Qui similat verbis nec corde est fidus amicus Tu quo (que) fac simile / sic ars deluditur arte

tHou oughtest not to truste hym that feyneth hym self to be thy frende by swete wordes / and plesaunte wythout he be thy hertely frende / Therfore thou ough­test to doo to hym lyke wyse / that is to wete in shewyng thy self fayntly to be his frende dyssymylyngly / and not h [...]rtelye And thus one arte and a falseheed is vytupered and dys­ceyued / by another arte and falsehede / or also hit may be ex­posed / He that feyneth by sharpe wordes rebukyng & chastysyng thy vyces and synnes / to be thyn enemye / and in hys herte he loueth the / trewely this is a veray frende / Therfore thou oughtest to doo to hym lyke wyse in tyme and place as the ca [...]s requyreth / And thus one arte that is to Wete an euyl wylle and one euyl purpoos / is reproued by another arte / that is to wete by good doctryne & enseygnement or techyng Men may kepe feyth and loue wyth his frende in thre maners Fyrst that thou dysceyue hym not by swete wordes feyned plesaunt and dysceyuable / Secondly that for no thynge thou telle nor dyscouer hys secrete / Thirdly that thou leue hym not in daunger nor in aduersite to thy power /

Nulli homines blando nimio sermone probare Fistula dulcé canit volucrem dum decipit anceps

tHou oughtest to approue ouermoche the men whyche speken swetely / For by swete wordes they dysceyue the / as he whiche taketh byrdes doth / whyche by hys swete songe and falseheed in countrefeytyng the voys of the byrde / dysceyueth hit and maketh hit to falle in to his grynnes Seneque sayth that flaterye reygneth thorugh al the world / and specyally in the prynces courtes and in the courtes of [Page] the lordes bothe spiritual and temporalle / It is redde of Saynt Amkrose whiche reproued openly the Emperour of his synne / To whome the Emperour answerd / that he had founden a man of trouthe / But now thys day the prynces & lordes bothe of the chirche and seculers wyl not here ne vnderstonde them whiche sayen trouthe to them / For he whiche can beste flatere them / is beste loued of them /

Cum tibi sint nati nec opes tunc artibus illos Instrue quo possint inopem deffendere vitam

tHou oughtest to doo thy chyldren to be lerned and teched in somme arte and crafte / whereby he may de­fende and eschewe the lyf Indygent and myserable of this world / specially whan thou arte poure / to the ende that by pouerte thou be not constreyned for to doo somme thynge wherof bothe thy self and thy lygnage myght receyue blame and dyshonour / For it is sayd comynly that crafte is bettre than the ydelnesse / ffor the good crafte may not fayle / but the rychesses fayle wel / Polecratus recounteth / that the Emperour Octouyan how be hit that he was ryche and myghty / he made crafte to be lerned and taught to his chyldren / Fyrst he made his sones to ex­cercise them and to be taughte in the fayte of armes and also in other artes and dyuers craftes / to thende that they myght vse theyr lyf by theyr arte or crafte yf they had nede in tyme to come / Secondly he made his doughters to lerne them for to werke in wulle and wyth the nedle / and to selle and to bye to the ende that yf theyr lyuelode faylled to them / their craft myght thenne helpe them for to eschewe the power & Indygent lyf of thys world / For it is seen oftymes that they whiche haue grettest lyuelode and possessyons / becomen and fallen in grete pouerte / by theyr euyll and wycked rewle / or ellys by fortune / & bycause that they can no crafte ne no science they comen ofte in to many and grete Inconuenyentes /

Quod vile est carum quod carum vile putato Sic tibi nec cuprous nec auarus nosceris vlli

tHou oughtest to thynke that / that which is now foule shal be fayre and dere in tyme to come / And to the contrarye / thou oughtest to thynke that / that whyche is of present or now dere shal be lothely and fowle in tyme to come / Therfore thou oughtest to vse hit in suche manere / that thou be not reputed and holden for auarycious ne hurter of thy self nor to other / Or also hit may be exposed whan somme gyueth to the a yefte whiche is fowle and of lytel valure / thou oughtest to holde hit for dere / and thus thou shalt not be holden for vnkynde / nor auaricious ne couetous nor contrarye to thy self ne to none other / Or otherwyse hyt may be exposed that / that whiche is fowle in this world / that is to wete pouertee / shal be dere in the other world byfore god And to the contrarye that / whiche is dere in this world / that is to wete rychesse / shal be fowle and dysplesaunt to god in the other world / Ioseph whan he was wyth the kynge of Egypte / by deuyne reuelacion was sayd to hym / that it shold be seuen yere of dere tyme / And therfore he counceylled vnto the kynge / that whyle the corne was good chepe that he shold make pourueaunce and store of hit to the ende that in tyme comyng he myght helpe wyth hit his poure peple in tyme of fa­myn or derthe / as thou hast in the hystorye alle alonge in the boke of Genesis /

Que culpare soles ta tu ne feceris ipse Turpe est doctori cum culpa redarguit ipsum

tHou oughtest not to doo the synnes of the whiche thou wylt repreue and chastyse the other to the ende that with the same punycion that thou wylt punysshe [Page] the other thou be not punysshed / For fowle thynge is to the techer or doctour / wha n his owne fawte and synne repro­ueth hym self / Therfore sayth saynt Austyn / that to speke wel and to do euyl is none other thynge / than to condempne hym self wyth his owne mowthe and worde / For yf thou wylt haue the lytel strawe out of thy broders eye / take out the grete balke whiche is in thyn owne eye / or ellys thou doest grete folye / Wherfore thou oughtest fyrst to reproue & chastyse thyn owne self / and after thou mayst wel reproue and chastyse other /

Quod iustum est petito vel quod videatur honestū Nam stultum est petere quod possit iure negari

tHou oughtest to demaunde the thynge whiche is iuste trewe and lawful / to the ende that hit may not be denyed ne wythsayed / for it is grete folye to demaūde or aske the thynge / whiche may be lawfully and of ryghte wythsayed and refused / And thou oughtest to knowe that there been somme that sechen and fynden / as they whiche vn­derstonden that / that they demaunden and sechen / Therfore sayth Ihesu criste seche ye & ye shal fynde / The other been whiche seken and fynden no thynge / As they whyche vnderstonden not that / that they sechen / therfore sayth yet Ihesu cryste / ye knowe nor vnderstonde not that / that ye seken / The other been whiche seek not ne fynde not / as they that vn­derstonden no thynge / But he that knoweth not shal be vn­knowen / that is to wete that he whyche shal forgete hym self shal be foryeten / Before that thou requyrest or makest sōme petycions or demaundes / yf thou wylt be herde & enhaunced thou oughtest to consydere foure thynges / Fyrst that he to whom thou requyrest or makest thy petycion / haue myght to gyue or to doo the thynge whyche thou requyrest of hym / Secondly that he whiche demaundeth / be worthy to haue the thynge whyche he demaundeth / Thyrdly that thou haue vtilitee and prouffyte by the thynge whiche thou requyrest / [Page] Fourthly that thy petycion or askyng be trewe & resonable / Men may lawfully requyre of our lord god thre thynges / Fyrst men may axe of god that whiche is nedeful to the lyf that is to wete his norysshyng / as mete drynke and clothyng whiche must be demaunded by reason and wythout excesse / Secondly the conseruacion of his owne body & of his goodes bothe temporalle and spiritual / Thyrdly to demaunde helpe & socour of god in Iuste batayle / as hit appereth in the booke of kynges

Ignotum tu tibi noli preponere notis Cognita iudicio constant incognita casu

tHou oughtest not to holde ne approue the thynge vnknowen to be trewe / before the thynges whyche thou knowest trewe and lawful / For thou mayste doo trewe Iugement on the thynges whiche thou knowest / but of suche that thou knowest not / thou mayst not Iuge but by aduenture and happe / As whan thou knowest a good holy man / thou oughtest more to honoure hym and to haue gretter truste in hym / thenne in hym that thou knowest not / how be hit that he be good / Therfore it is sayd comynly / that one ought not to reherce and vtter his counceyll nor goo in to the felawshyp of the vnknowen man / And that men oughte to loue more the olde frende approued / thenne the newe frende whiche is not approued nor assayed /

Cum dubia et incertis versetur vita periclis Pro lucro tibi pone diem quicun (que) laboras

tHou oughtest to beleue and to knowe for certeyn that thy lyf is doubtous / in right grete parelle and vncer­teyn / For we ben vncerteyn of the houre of dethe and of the [Page] fortunes whiche may come to vs / And therfore we that been and labouren in thys perilous valeye ought to suffyse to vs one day for al our labour and salarye of alle the tyme passed On the whiche day we ought to haue contricion and to make trewe confessyon of alle oure synnes / A vysyon be fyl somtyme to a good holy man whiche was on the ryuage of the see to whome semed and was aduys that the wawes of the see wold haue couered and drowned hym / wherfore he ranne hastely fro the ryuage / but as he ranne he sawe a grete and wonder horryble lyon comyng ageynste hym for to deuoure and ete hym / but for drede he loked doun to therthe and thenne he sawe come before hym a serpent whyche caste fyre & flame out of his mowthe / the whiche like wyse wold haue deuoured hym / Thenne whan the good man sawe that he myght not scape he lyfte vp his eyen toward the heuen / and prayed god deuoutely that he wold kepe and preserue hym from thys grete parylle and daunger / thenne he sawe an aungel from heuen whiche helde wyth one hande a crowne / And wyth the other hande he helde a swerde / whiche aungel spake to hym and sayd / Ne doubte thou not / for thou shalt scape from alle these parelles / yf thou doest that I shal telle to the / Fyrst thou shalt goo ageynst the serpent hardely & shalt put thy fote wythin his throte / and sone he shal be deed / And after thou shalt goo ageynst the lyon / for he is not so stronge as thou wenest / for he is right feble / and I promytte the / to gyue to the thys crowne yf thou wylt doo that I haue sayd / or ellys I shal slee the wyth thys swerde / To speke morally by the see is vnderstonden alle the world whiche chaseth vs by the vndes or wawes / that is by dyue [...]se temptacions / By the lyon is vnderstonden the deuyl of [...]lle whiche tempteth vs fro day to day / but he that wyl resysten ageynst hym he may sone ouercome and conquere hym / By the serpent thou oughtest to vnderstonde the flesshe to whome thou ouhhtest to put thy foot within the throte / that is to wete that thou must doubte and refrayne hit by fastyng & prayers And yf thou doest hit not thus / the aungell shal not gyue to the the crowne whyche he bereth / but he shal slee the wyth his swerde / and he shall lete the falle wythin the see / that is [Page] to wete in to helle wyth them that ben dampned /

Vincere cum possis interdum cede sodali Obsequio quoniam dulces retinentur amici

tHou oughtest not alweye to vaynquysshe ne put vn­der fe [...]t thyn enemye / but thou oughtest somtyme to forgyue & pardonne / though thou mayst vaynquysshe & ouercome / but by swete and frendely wordes thou oughtest to refrayne thy self fro that / whiche thou myghtest wel doo / For by suche seruyce and benefaytes thou shalt mowe holde and kepe hym for thy trewe and feythful frende / bycause that swete and frendely wordes refraynen grete yre / Item two feythful frendes ought to loue eche other parfytely and to be of one wylle / For two dogges be stronger for to take a wulf thenne one dogge allone / Thus whan two good frendes ben wel alyed to gyder / they be stronger and more redoubted thenne one allone /

Ne dubites cum magna petas impendere parua Hijs etenim rebus coniungit gracia caro [...]

[...]Hou oughtest not to doubte ne to complayne to gyue a lytel yefte to thy frende / whan thou doubtest not ne hast no shame to demaunde of hym a grete yefte / for by suche thynges grace and frendshyp ioynen and bynden to gyder two good frendes and felawes / That is to say that men oughte not to spare to gyue worldly thynges that ben lytel & fowle for to acquyre and gete therfore grace frendshyp and benyuolence whyche are of grete proufyte / & moche to be preysed / It is redde of two felawes whiche loued eche other moche derely / of the whiche the one Wrote al that his felowe gaue to hym / And in lyke wyse the other wrote alle that he gaue to [Page] his felawe / It happed thenne that they had questyonned to gyder for to wete and knowe whyche of them two louyd moste parfytelye hys felawe / he that had wryton al that his felawe had gyuen to hym sayd that he loued more parfytelye by cause that whan he ouersawe his book / he remembred the fayre yeftes whyche his felawe had gyuen to hym / the which yeftes were cause that he neuer departed from the frendshyp and loue of his felawe / the other answerd that he said well but yet sayd he / I haue better cause than thou hast / For I [...]oke wythin my book wherin I haue wryton the yeftes whiche I haue gyuen to the / to the ende that they be cause to holde the euer in parfyte loue and frendshyy / the whiche two felawes of theyr questyon made Iuge a sage and wyse prophete / whi­che Iuged that he loued more parfyte whyche dyd write that that he gafe to hys felawe / Morally to speke our Lord hath gyuen to vs many yeftes / not for to reproche them vnto vs / but to thende that be lose vs not lyghtelye he writeth and entreth them in to his book / that is to wete within his thouȝt for yf we leue hym not he shal not leue vs / Item at the other syde we ought to wryte within our consciences the yeftes and benefaytes which he gyueth to vs & hath gyuen / & to studye & rede them often / to thende that we may haue his glorye and benediccion at the ende of our dayes /

Litem inferre caue cū quo tibi grā iuncta est Ira odium generat concordia nutrit amorem

THou oughtest not to take noyse ne debate wyth hym Whiche thou louest / & of whom thou arte in grace / Ne also wyth none other persone for / yre & hate eng [...]dren many Inconuenyentes & dyscencions / but concorde and pees engendreth loue and dyleccion / after ryght canon men ought to flee & eschewe noyses & brawlyng for fyue causes / the first is by cause that he whyche gladly taketh noyse and debate [Page] is customed to be arrogaunte and despytous / The Second by cause that he is acustomed to be a flaterer / The thyrd by cause that he is acustomed to be false and traytour / the fourth by cause that he is acustomed to be false and ful of chalenge The fyfthe bycause that he is acustomed to dyspreyse gladly and to make noyse and debate /

Seruorum ob culpam cum te dolor vrget in iram Ipse tibi moderare tuis vt parcere possis

THou oughtest not to correcte and chastyse thy seruaū ­tes whan thou arte wrothe and fylled of yre / [...] be it that they be gylty and culpable / but thou oughtest to forbere and attempre thy self vnto the tyme that thyn yre be passyd / by cause that yf thou reprendred and chastysed them whan thou arte wrothe / thou myghtest chastyse them wythoute mesure and dysordynatlye / Therfore Seneques Wolde neuer chastyse hys seruauntes whan he was wrothe / but helde the hande vpryghte vpon them wythouten smytyng vnto tyme that his yre and wrathe were gone and passed / and sayd yf I chastysed them whan I am Wrothe / I shold slee them / but whan I haue attemperyd myn yre I chastyse them by mesure / The wyse man sayth / that he is a fole which sone Iugeth after hys yre / and that he whiche can refrayne & amodere hys yre is ryght sage and wyse /

Que superare potes nondum vince ferendo Maxima etenim morum est semper paciencia virtus

THou oughtest to forbere and spare somtyme them that thou mayst vynquysshe and ouercome / For pacyence is the grettest vertue of alle vertues of good condycyon [...] / [Page] By cause that by the name of pacyence alle the other vertues taken force / vygour and attemperaunce / Therfore sayth the prouerbe / that vertu is wydowe whan she is not a [...]urned confermyd and attemperyd wyth pacyence / by cause that alle the other vertues rewlen and ordeynen them by pacyence / for pacyence vaynquyssheth alle /

Conserua pocius que sunt iam parta labore Cum labor in dampno est crescit mortalis egestas

THou oughtest to kepe and spare that / whyche thou hast acquyred and goten wyth grete payne and wyth grete swette of thy body / and more moderatelye thou oughtest to dyspende hit / than that whyche cometh of auaun­tage and withouten payne and trauaylle / For euery one doubteth the peyne and laboure that men haue for to gete them Item also naturally euery man kepeth and loueth better that whyche he acquyreth wyth payne and grete trauaylle / thenne that whyche cometh of auauntage / For whan one dyspende [...]h that whyche is goten wyth grete laboure / he falleth to grete pouerte and dommage and in to mortal Indygence / whyche growen and encreaceth from day to day / We reden of two hosemakers of the whyche the one was poure and had so grete famylle or meyne / that his crafte myght not gouerne ne sus­teyne his housholde ne to furnysshe the expences / the whyche as a wyse man put hym self to serue god contynuelly / & herde masse euery day wythoute faylle / and thus by the grace of god / had euer of worldly goodes ynough for to holde and susteyne hys estate wyth / But the other whyche was more ryche than he was / wrought bothe on sondayes & holydayes / the whyche by punycyon of god fyl in to grete Indygence & pouerte / & in dede / by grete yre / as al wroth said to his neyghbour / how farest thou / & how goeth thy fayte / thou werkest not the halfe of the tyme / but alwaye thou lyuest & farest more largely / & hast more of worldly goodes thā I haue that werke bothe holydayee & sondayes contynuelly [Page] The whyche answeryd to hym that he had founde a tresoure in the erthe of the whyche he was wexen ryche / and that yf he wold doo as he dyd / of al that they shold fynde he shold haue his parte / whyche accorded therto and wente euery day to the chyrche as dyd hys neyghbour / and sone he had of worldly goodes ynough whan he beganne to serue and to loue god / Therfore sayth the gospel / seche ye fyrst the kyng­dom of god / and alle thynges shal come to your behoufe [...] haboundaunce largelye /

Dapsilis interdum notis et caris amicis Cum fueris felix semper tibi proximus esto

THou oughtest to gyue and to be large somtyme vnto thy dere frendes / and to shewe thy self humble and benygne toward them / but alwayes thou oughtest fyrst to helpe thy self / For as sayth the appostle none oughte to hate hys flesshe ne his persone / charyte begynneth at hym self and after to hys parentes and to the other who hath the myght and puyssaunce / Men may compare the ryche man to the henne / by cause that the henne taketh so grete cu­ryosyte to nowrysshe hyr chyckyns / that often she forbereth etyng for theyr sake / in so moche that she wexyth alle lene / but whan the chyckens are grete they remembren them not of hit / for they knowe hyr nomore ne setten noughte by hyr / Semblably whan the ryche man hath nowrisshed his chyl­dren in theyr yongthe wel derely and hath often foboren mete and drynke for to gadre and assemble goodes for theym / whan they are grete and oute of the daunger of theyr fader and moder they remembren hit not / and setten noughte by them / Therfore I counceyl the whan thou arte ryche & mygh­ty that thou ne gyue ne distrybue thy goodes to thy chyldren ne to thy parentes & frendes without thou haue first purueyed vnto thy selfe / That is to saye that thou reteygne and holde [Page] so largely of thy goodes that hit may suffyse for to helpe thy body / and specyalle thy sowle /

¶Telluris si forte velis cognoscere cultus Virgilium legito / quod si mage nosce laboras

YF thou wylte knowe the cultyuyng and eeryng of the erthe and how men oughte to laboure and make hit clene / and whan men must sowe & gadre ageyne thou must rede the poete vyrgylle / for in hys book thou shalt fynde the manere for to cultyue and laboure the erthe / and by cause that by suche laboure men gete and acquyre many grete rychesses / the aūcyentes dyte put theyr cure and studye for to laboure and cultyue the erthe / but thys oppynyon is false / for the souerayn good of thys Worlde is to serue & loue god

Herbarum vires macer tibi carmina dicet

YF thou wylte knowe the force & vertu of herbes / thou must rede this poete macer / the auncientes said that the souerayn Wele of this world was in the helth of the body / & therfore they put al their witte & studye for to knowe the proprete & vertu of the herbes by cause that they ben ordey­ned for the helthe of the body / the which oppynyon is false /

Si romana cupis et punica noscere bella Lucanum queras qui martis prelia dicet

YF thou wylte knowe the bataylles of rome & of affri­que rede this poete named lucan / the auncyentes sayd that the souerayn wele of this world was in getyng of good fame & renome of noblesse / & therfore they dyd put all theyr estudye for to knowe the faytes or dedes of thauncientes And specyally of [...]heym of Rome and of Auffryque / [Page] the whyche haue been moche subtylle vpon the fayte and dede of werre /

Si quid amare libet vel discere amare legendo, Nazonem petito / Sinautem tibi cura hec est

YF thou wylte loue and haue a paramour / rede thou the poete named nazo the lechoure / thauncyen supposed that the souerayn good of thys world had been in plesures and worldely delectacyons / And therfor [...] [...]tu­dyed and lerned thys poete Nazo / whyche techeth the [...] and manere for to loue paramours /

Vt sapiens viuas audi que discere possis Per que semotum vicijs deducitur cuum Ergo ades et que sit sapiencia disce legendo

YF thou wylte lyue wysely / flee the vyces / and folo­we the vertues / the whyche putten al vyces & synnes out of the persone / Item thou oughtest to rede and studye in suche manere that thou mayst become sage and wyse & to acquyre sapyence & wysdom / & to flee the false opynyons & errours of thaūcient beforesayd in the iiij precedent commaū dementes /

Si potes ignotis eciam prodesse memento Vtilius regno est meritis acquirere amicos

TThou oughtest to do wel & to do prouffyte to the straū gers / & not al onely to thy parentes & frendes / For it is more vtyle & prouffitable for to acquyre a frende by thy labour and good dedes / than for to acquyre a royame or somme grete tresour / salamon sayth that better is to acquyre [...] good name & good grace / than golde or syluer / Therfore [...] tullius that there nys cite ne castel that may long endure with outen frendshyp and concorde / God maketh rayne to falle / bothe vpon the good folkes / and vpon euyl folke / [Page] wherfore thou oughtest not al onelye to loue the good peple / But also somtyme the euyl folkes / and to teche and en­duce them to doo wel and to gyue and helpe theym at theyr nede / myseryes and aduersytees /

Mitte archana dei, celum que inquirere quid fit Cum sis mortalis que sunt mortalia cura

THou oughtest not to enquyre ne knowe the secretes of god nor what thynge is the heuen / that is for to wete of suche secretes that humayne nature may not attayne knowe ne vnderstonde / But thou must byleue sted­fastlye wythoute ony doubte that / that the chyrche byleuyth and holdeth for trewe / And by cause that thou arte mor­talle / thou oughtest to enquyre of the mortalle or dedelye thynges and not of the deuyne and Inmortal thynges / Therfore sayth the appostle that there is none eye that hath seen Ne eere that euer herde / ne herte that thoughte nor can thynke / the goodes whyche god hath maad redy and ordey­ned for them whyche are of good loue and trewe byleue / For he whyche eteth ouermoche of hony / hyt letteth hym / lyke wyse he that ouermoche enquyreth of the secretes of god more thenne nature humayne ne may ne oughte to knowe ne vn­derstonde shal be oppressyd before god and pryued fro hys glorye / ¶ To thys questyon men may answer by two exaumples / Fyrst it is redde of a prophete whiche studyed longe for to knowe the nature and kynde of the bees or hony flees / but he coude neuer fynde ne knowe hyt / Item Tulles recounteth in his book / that he made of the nature and kynde of the goddes / that a kynge demaunded of a prohete what thynge was god / Thenne the prophete demaunded terme and space for to answer to the sayd questyon / And the kynge gafe hym terme of thre dayes / Item after that the thre dayes were passed the prophete demaunded yet len­ger terme / vnto whome the kynge gafe onelye thre dayes / [Page] Item after the thre dayes he wold haue had yet gretter terme Ha sayd thenne the kyng I see wel that thou mocquest me / But the prophete escused hym self gracyously and sayd that he mocqued not / but he sayd / I consydere and suppose that god is so ouer souerayn and vncomparable and vnlyke / For the more I thynke on hym / the more I am confused and abasshed and wote not what I shold saye / and by no manere I ne may knowe what thynge is god / And now answereth the prophete to the questyon pryncypal / and sayth that a ma­ker of erthen pottes may make of one erthe a potte to his worshyp / and another of lyke erthe to his dysworshyp / ¶Item saynt austyn sayth that god hath made to be borne the euyl and wycked folke for foure reasons / The fyrste is that by cause of theym the good folke seme the better / as the whyte breed semeth to be better and fayrer by the blacke and broune breed / The second is by cause that the Iustyce of god is approued and enhaunced by the euyl folke / For he is so ful of myserycorde that al the world shold be saued / yf his Iustyce shewed and apperyd not / and yf a Iuge shold par­donne and forgyue al / he shold not seme to be Iuste / and by the contrarye yf he neuer pardonned nor forgafe he shold not seme to be myserycordyous ne mercyful / The thyrd is for the euyl and wycked folke / the good are worshypped and therfore is to them / redy made / gretter gwerdon or re­warde / Item yf there had be no wycked folke / oure Lord had not taken dethe / Ne saynt stephen had not be caste wyth stones / ne no marter crowned / The fourth is by cause that of the euyl and wycked folke haue ben borne and begoten more sayntes thenne of the other / For of Esau whiche was ryght wycked and euyl man / and of achab was engen­dred or begoten ezechyas and thus of many other / Item oute of the thorne groweth the rose / and yf men dyd cutte and destroye al the thorne trees there shold noo roses growe nomore / and thus by the thynge beforesayd apperith clerel̄y that god hath made the Wycked and euyl folke for to haue and gete vnto hym the good and feythful people / and for to shewe his myserycorde and hys Iustyce / Now thenne sythen it is so as I haue sayd to the and approuyd [Page] that none may knowe the secretes of god / How myght men knowe that / that he wyl do / ne the cause why he dyd alle that he hath doon / Notwythstondyng that saynt austyn and many other / as I haue sayd haue gyuen and shewen of hit many natural reasons / And therfore thou oughtest not to enquyre of the secretes of god no ferther thenne nature humayn may knowe and vnderstonde / ¶ The doctours been of oppynyon and sayen that the prescyence of god bereth ne wythholdeth nothynge of nede / but that it may befalle otherwyse / And thys approueth boece of consolacion by reasons & ensaumples Fyrst he sayth that god knoweth somme thynges nedefully & naturelly for to come / as he knoweth of nede that the sonne ryseth in the mornynge / Item he knoweth somme thynges of free and lyberalle arbytre / for he knoweth wel whan sōme wyl do somme thynge / and that hath hys free wylle and ly­beralle arbytre for to doo hit or not / Therfore the man doeth naturally that / that he doeth / For thus hath god Instytued and ordeyned hit / Item the sonne ryseth of nede / by cause that god ordeyned hit so / & thus the thynges whyche oughte for to come naturelly been nedeful / but they that comen by lyberal arbytre / ben free to doo hit or not / For thus hath god ordeyned Instytued and forseen / Item hit may be proued by ensaumple that the deuyne prescyence of god wytholdeth ne bereth no nede / Now suppose we that in somme place is a waye whyche is deuysed in thre wayes / thorugh which waye a man must passe / Item lete vs suppose that another man is hyghe vpon a montaygne whyche knoweth alle thynges that are to come / the whiche cryeth wyth an hyghe voys vnto hym that shold passe by the waye deuysed in thre wayes / & sayd / I deffende the that thou ne passe thorugh the lyft waye but by the ryght waye / or at the leste by the myddel waye / yf thys man sette ne retche not of his sayeng / but goeth tho­rugh the lyfte waye and falleth in to the handes of his ene­myes / what may do therto the man whyche was vpon the montaygne whiche knewe wel al thynges that were to come / and that forbode and deffended to hym that he shold not passe by the lyfte waye / None is thenne cause of hys harme & euyl but he allone / sythe that he had hys lyberalle arbytre [Page] and free wylle for to haue passed by suche a waye as hit pleasyd to hym / and also whan hit was forboden and deffended to hym / he oughte not to haue passed thorugh hit / but ought to haue passed by the ryght waye / or ellis by the myddel waye And thus hit apperith that the deuyne prescyence of god bereth ne wytholdeth none of the thynges that are for to come / and of whyche men haue lyberalle and free wylle for to doo theym or not / Item there been somme prophetes whiche sayen that the man whyche is borne in a good planette or sygne / shal be wel fortuned / and yf he be borne in an euyl planette he shal be euyl fortuned / Thys errour repreueth saynt gre­gory in his om [...]ye / and sayth that many ben borne in thys worlde in one lyke sygne and planette / and in one lyke poynte / of the whyche somme ben kynges or dukes / and the other are puttyers and ryght wycked and euyl / To thys answeren the sayd prophetes and sayen / that the poynte is passed in a twynklyng of an eye / Saynt gregory sayth and answereth that how be it / that hit be soo / that the poynte is passed in a twynklyng of an eye / Neuerthelesse it is vnpos­syble to be borne in the same poynte and wythin so shorte a space of tyme / For men seen by experyence / that whanne a chylde is to be borne many poyntes may passe or he be borne / Therfore sayth saynt gregory that thys may not be trewe / For yf the constellacyon were nedeful cause to haue we [...] / or euyl / or to be dampned / or saued / the man myghte escuse hym self of his synne before god sayeng / Syr creatour or maker of al thynges ye haue gyuen to the same planette on the whiche I was borne / suche a propretee that she hath con­streyned me for to do suche a synne / to the whiche I may not resyste / And as sayth saynt austyn / synne is wylleful / For that whiche is doon ageynste his wylle and by force is not synne / Wherfore me semeth that I oughte for to be escused of the synne whyche I haue doon ageynste myn owne wylle / and by the Influence of the sygne and planette on whiche I am borne / the whyche constreyneth me for to do alle that I doo / Thys oppynyon and errour is the werste of alle the other be­foresayd / For yf hit were so that al thynges were ordeyned of god / that hit myght none otherwyse be / hit shold folowe [Page] therof many Inconuenyentes / Fyrst by cause that synne shol̄d not be synne / for hys synne by the ordenaunce of god were thenne nedeful and necessarye thynge / and thus god shold haue no cause for to punysshe the synnars / Item also wele were not wele / Item god shold haue no Iustyce / for hit shold be quenchyd and sette as nought / by cause that there shold be neyther paradyse nor helle / Item men shold not retche of no temporalle thynge / ne shold haue no nede to laboure and cultyue the erthe / Ne for to holde no fayres / ne to make ony marchaundyses / Ne also shold not nede to take no medecynes sythe that al were ordeyned and predestyned whan men shold deye / Thus men myght saye that he whiche shold be dampned be deuyne predestynacyon / myght not be saued in doyng after hys lyberalle arbytre and free wylle / For alle shold be of nede and necessarye /

Linque metum leti nā stultum est tempore in omni Dum mortem metuis. amittis gaudia vite

THou oughtest to byleue and not to doubte alle onelye the bodely deth / by cause that in al tymes is folye to doubte the dethe / for whan thou doubtest the deth thou lesest the ioye of thy lyf / neuerthelesse thou oughtest to doubte and often to thynke of the spyrytual dethe for foure reasons The fyrst is by cause that he whyche ofte thynketh on hit ab­steyneth hym of doyng euyl / The second is by cause that men ben the more humble of herte / The thyrd is to the ende that we thynke for to do wel / The fourth is that thou desyrest the lyf mortal / for to haue the lyf spyritual whiche is withoute ende / An holy man requyred and prayed somtyme to our lord that he wold shewe to hym what thynge the dethe was / the whyche herde a voys wythin a wood that was nye to his hermytage / whyche voys called hym / wherof he was moche abasshed / Thenne he yede out of his hermytage and saw a wonder meruayllous beest / whyche had the body of an asse [Page] legges and thyes of an herte / feet of an hors / and face of a lyon / and had dyuers hornes / and teeth of dyuers maners / but alwayes it had a voys humayn / to speke morally / The condycyons beforesayd / are the effectes and condycyons of the dethe / by the body of the asse is vnderstonden that the dethe bereth al thynges as the asse doeth / For she bereth the sowle to god yf she hath doon wel / and yf she hath doon euyl she bereth hyr to the deuyl / Item she bereth the body for to be eten of wormes / and the rychesses vnto the parentes and frendes by the legges & thyes of y^e herte thou oughtest to vnderstonde the lyg [...]hnesse of the dethe / for she lepeth oueralle swyftelye and lyghtlye / for now she sleeth a man in bombardye / And sone she sleeth another in fraunce / for she lepeth and gooth lyghtelye thorugh alle londes and contrees of the world / By the hors feet oughte thou to vnderstonde the remorse of conscyence / For as the hors is a beest fyghtyng & batayllous thus the dethe maketh the sowle to fyghte ageynste god by the remorse of conscyence / yeldyng to god reason of alle that she dyd whan she was in hyr body / by that she hath an heed of a lyon is to be vnderstonden that she doubteth none / for lyke as the lyon doubteth neyther yonge nor olde / ne sage / noble / nor ryche / ne stronge / nor prelate ne laye man / Thus the dethe ne doubteth noo creature lyuyng / by the dyuers maners of teeth that she hath / thou oughtest to vnderstonde the dyuersyte of deyeng / For the dethe sleeth by dyuers maners / By the dyuers hornes thou oughtest to vnderstonde that [...]she hurteth and smyteth alle / wythoute sparyng of none / as popes car­dynalles / emperours / kynges / dukes / prynces / and erles / and generally alle them that ben borne of moder / by that / that she hath voyce of man / thou oughtest to vnderstonde the decepcyon and falshede of the dethe / For somtyme she maketh somme to deye in dede and somtyme she fayneth hir self to come / and co­meth not / but sone after she cometh sodaynlye smytyng / wherfore eueryone oughte alweyes to lyue wel / to the ende that he may deye wel and wythoute doubte and spyrytuelly / for men oughte to doubte the lyf spyrytuelle / and not the lyf tem­porelle /

Iratus de le incetar contendere noli Impedit ira animum ne possis cernere verum

THou oughtest not to take debate nor stryffe ageynste ony persone lyuyng of a thynge vncerteyne / specially whan thou arte wrothe / for yre empessheth the wytte and courage of the man / in suche manere that he may ne can not Iuge nor see yf the thynge be trewe or not / Therfore men oughte to enfourme fyrst hym self by good and rype delybe­racyon or he moeuyth noyse or stryffe / for yre is none other thynge but a tempestous wynde whyche troubleth and destroyeth ofte the lyf of man / in moeuyng warres and descencions and debates wythouten ende / by dede and by worde / the whyche is cause to waste and destroye townes cytees & castellys /

Ageynste them that are wrothe and angry there been two pryncipal remedyes / that is to wete / swete wordes / & swete answer / and wythoute answer of noo thynge to the contrarye For lyke as thou seest by experyence that the woode multe­plyeth the fyre / lyke wyse / contrarye answers multeplyen & chauffen the man whyche is wrothe and troubled /

Fac sumptum propere cum res desiderat ipsa Dādū etenim est aliquid cū tēpus postulat aut res

THou oughtest to do wyth good herte & hastyly thyn expences / that is to wete thy presente or yefte whan the thynge requyreth it / consyderyng whan thou oughtest to gyue / and to whome thou oughtest to gyue / For thou oughtest to gyue in tyme and place as the thynge requyreth For there is tyme for to sowe / and tyme for to repe / tyme for to lese / and tyme for to wynne / al thynges haue their tyme / The wyse man sayth / dyspende largely in tyme and place wythoute makyng of any noyse or stryffe / For men saye [Page] comynlye that the nygarde expendeth more than the lyberalle Therfore it is necessarye to dyspende ofte and to gyue of his goodes ioyousl̄y /

Quod nimium est fugito puo gaudere memento Tuta magis puppis est que modico flumine fertar

TTHou oughtest to be contente of lytel thynge wel go­ten / and to flee al superfluyte / For the shyppe sayl­leth more surelye in a lytel ryuere / than in a grete flode as in the see / Therfore sayth the wyse man / that better is to haue fewe and lytel thynges and goodes wel goten by Iustyce and by mesure / thenne to haue many goodes euyll goten by Inyquyte wythoute Iustyce and mesure / The prophete sayth that by as moche as the man is more riche and sette in grete dygnyte in to thys world / the more poure he is toward the syghte of god / The prouerbe sayth that he whiche hath lytel / or as nought / is ryche / And he which is ful and hath plente of rychesse is poure /

Quod pudeat socios prudens celare memento Ne plures culpent id quod tibi displicet vni

THe man that is wyse and sage oughte to hyde [...] blame and shame of his felawes / to thende that m [...] ­ny knowe not that / thy selfe allone knowest / For they shold be of many more blamed and shamed than of the allone / but thou oughtest to chastyse them secretelye / and not openlye / The prouerbe sayth / that he is false whiche reher­ceth and telleth the secrete of hys frende / Item alle that thyn eyen seen / thou oughtest not to recyte ne telle / but thou oughtest to kepe hit secrete

Nolo putes prauos homines peccata lucrari Temporibus peccata latent et tempore patent

I Wyl not that thou wene ne suppose that the euyl and wycked men synnars faynen theyr synnes wythoute to haue and receyue punycyon and coreccion in thys world or in the other / for the synnes ben ofte hydde for a tyme / but afterward in certeyne tyme they are knowen and manyfestyd and also punysshed / Yf god punysshed not the synnars hyt shold seme that they shold wynne and that they shold goo quyte of theyr synnes / and that their fayte shold be the better therfore / or ellys that they shold / haue somme prouffyte / whyche thynge were ageynste right and reason / For none euyl shal abyde wythouten punycyon / ne no good dedes wythoute remuneracyon / there is none so secrete a synne but that at the laste hit shal be manyfestyd and knowen / Therfore been ofte dysceyued they that wene to hyde theyr synnes / as dauyd dyd of the synne that he had / doon and commysed wyth barsabee / the whyche synne before al the pe­ple of Israhel was reuelyd and knowen / as it is wryton in the second book of kynges /

Corporis exigui vires contempnere noli Confilio pollet cui vim natura negauit

THou oughtest not to dyspreyse the forces & [...] of them whyche are lytel and feble of body / ne of them whyche be poure of worldly goodes / for how be hyt that there be many whyche are lytel and feble of body by ap­paraunce or syghte / Neuerthelesse it happeth oftymes that they to whome nature hath denyed and forsaken her forces or strengthes / ben better and more vertuous to gyue a good coū ceyl / than the other whyche are stronge and myghtyer of bo­dy / The grayne of mostarde / how be it that it is lytel and [Page] lothely / neuerthelesse he hath moche of forces and of vertues Fyrst be modereth the grete humours whyche are wythin the body / Item hit helyth the bytte of a serpente / Of colde venym and of the tooth ache / Item hit purgeth or maketh clene the brayne / and helyth and breketh the stone / and causeth good appetyte / and also comforteth the stomake / and hel [...]th dropsye / who shold wene that so lytel and so foule a grayne had soo grete vertues / Item there is founde a precious stone named agathe whyche is blacke of colour / Thys stone is of many and wonder meruayllous vertues and propyrtees / For whan hit is kyndled hit maketh the serpentes to flee / & helyth the demonyackes or madde folke / For hit is contrarye to the deuylles / Item yf a doughter drynke of the water wherin the sayd stone shal haue be weted / yf she be a mayde she shal crye whether she wyl or not / Item hyt maketh the ladyes floures to come / and peaseth the dolour of the bely / and also hit helpeth the wymmen to be delyuerd of theyr byrthe / Item saynt ysydore sayth / that the sayd stone kynled and sette on fyre brennyth wythin the water / and who put hit in oyle hyt quencheth / whyche thynge semeth to be ageynste na­ture /

Quem scieris non esse parem tibi tempore cede Victorem à victo superari sepe videmur

THou oughtest to forbere and to fauoure in tyme and place / hym whyche thou knowest not matche ne lyke to the of tyme nor of age / ne that hath not soo gre [...] experyence as thou haste / for he whyche hath oftymes vayn­quysshed and doon many a fayre fayte or dede / is somtyme veynquysshed of hym that before was vaynquysshed /

The cockadrylle is so stronge and so grete a serpente / that there is not soo grete a beest ne soo stronge that may doo hym euyl / but there is a lytel beest named mycor whyche put hyr self in to the fylthe / and thenne the cockadrylle fyndeth hyt / & deuoureth hyt / the whyche as sone as she is wythin the bely [Page] of the sayd serpente hit perceth or breketh the bely / wherfore the cockadrylle deyeth sodaynlye /

Aduersus notum noli contendere verbis Lis minimis verbis interdum maxima crescit

tHou oughtest not to take debate ne stryffe ageynste thy frendes ne to them whyche thou knowest / for ofte by lytel wordes comen and growen grete dyscencions and debates or grete wordes / by whyche thou myghtest lese thy frende in a lytel space of tyme / the whyche thou haste acquyred & goten by longe processe of tyme wyth grete payne / For a lytel sparcle of fyre kyndleth ofte a grete fyre / Also by a lytel worde euyl vtteryd and sayd may be loste a grete and good frende /

Quod deus intendat noli perquirere sorte Quod statuit de te sine te deliberat ipse

tHou ouȝtest not to enquyre by sorte or wytche crafte of that / that god wyl doo or hath ordeyned for to do of the or of somme other creature / for god hath delyberyd and ordeyned wythoute the that / that he wyl doo of the / Seneques saith that men ought not to enquyre but alle onelye of the thynges whyche men may vnderstonde and comprehende / & that is licyte & good for to wete and knowe / It is redde of a clerke whiche folisshely susteyned & said that yf he was predestyned to be saued he myght not be dampned / & by the contrarye yf he was predestyned for to be dampned / he myght not be saued / & that of nede he must be dampned / and therfore he dyd al his desyres & plesures / & retched not whether he dyd wel or euyl / but hit happed that he was ryghte gre­uously seek / Thenne he sente for a moche wyse and sage phycycyen and prayed hym that he wolde restore to hym hys [Page] helthe / The physycyen was ryght suffysaunte in medecyne and ryght good theologyen / or knowyng the deuyne scryp­ture / and he knewe wel the wylle and thought of the clerke and sayd to hym yf thou oughtest to deye of thys sekenesse I shold not mowe helpe the / and to the contrarye / Yf thou oughte to be helyd of hit / thou shalte hele wel / Ha syr sayd the clerke / I knowe certeynlye that yf a remedye be not hastely put therto I shal deye / Thenne sayd to hym the physycyen yf thou byleuyst that thy lyf may be lengthed by the vertu of medecyne and by me / why byleuest thou not that penaunce may lengthen the lyf of thy sowle / The clerke thenne by the vertue of the wordes whyche the physycyen had sayd to hym beganne to say / Ha syr I requyre you that from hens forth on ye wyl be physycyen of my sowle / For by your medecyne and wordes I am delyuerd out of grete errour and of fo­lysshe byleue / and verayly I byleue that myn opynyon was false and euyl / To the ende that none sette feythe to sortyleges ne to deuyners / eurry man oughte to byleue stedfastlye wythout doubte that god may doo alle / and wythoute hym none may nought do / al be he neuer soo good a man / How thenne byleuest thou the sortyl̄eges and deuynours / For of that whyche they do and sayen / they wote not what they doo & they vsen but of euyl arte by the reuelacyon of the deuyll And that more is they shold not mowe doo no thyng ayenst the wylle of god /

Thou oughtest to knowe of trouthe that often god permytteth and suffreth that / that the sortylegers and deuynours maken to come / But as sayth Saynt Austyn / god suffreth hyt for to preue the / and to knowe yf thou arte stedfaste in the feythe or not / and the deuyl of helle doeth hyt for to haue and dampne the / Therfore sayen the doctours of holy chirche that alle tho that byleuen the sortyleges and deuynours been excommunyed and cursyd of god and of holy chyrche / For they been reputed and holden as ydollatres and wyc­ked crysten / by cause that they attrybuen and gyuen vnto the deuyll and to nature humayn the honoure / reuerence and feythe / whyche they shold attrybue vnto god onelye /

Item men fynde somme sortyleges that maken theyr [Page] sorte by herbys / by wordes and by many other thynges for to hele sekenessys of folke / of horses / and of many other beestys Item there been somme that maken letters or scrowys wher­in they paynte many crosses and many wordes / and sayen that these wordes are the hyghe names of our lord / and that tho that bere hit on them may not perysshe in fyre / in water ne in none other parayllous place /

Item they maken other scrowes for to be bounden vpon the persones for to hele of somme sekenesses / The whyche sor­tyleges and wycked folke for none excomunyng ne cursyng wyl not absteyne them from theyr euyl and dampna­ble deelyng / & knowe you for certeyn that all tho that doon or maken to be doon suche sortyleges & wytchecrafte beforesaid also they that beren hit and that haue truste in them / and al̄ tho that sellen or byen them / gyuen or yelden / synnen right greuously / I say not yf one gadre herbes for to do somme mede­cyne / sayeng vpon hit the pater noster / or the credo / that hit be dedely synne wythoute ony other sortylege / and knowe thou that this cursyd synne of sortylege haboundeth more in wymmen than in men / by cause that they haue lasse of dys­crescion / & that they byleue more lyghtelye than the men /

Inuidiam nimio cultu vitare memento Que si non ledit tamen hanc sufferre molestum

[...]Hou oughtest not to haue enuye on thy brother cristen Ne to haue ouer precyous Iewellys ne raymentes / For how be it that hit letteth ne dommageth not them on whome thou hast enuye / Neuerthelesse it is to them greef and moleste for to suffre and forbere hit / for enuye proprely is to haue ioye of the euyl and dommage of other / and to haue woo and doloure of hys wele / Saynt Austyn sayth / that he whyche hath enuye of other mennes goodes / is lyke hym whyche is blynde of the rayes of the sonne / [Page] Seneques sayth that there ben as many of tourmentes and cursynges redy made for the enuyous / as there are goodes & blessynges for the beneurous or happy /

Esto forti animo cum sis dampnatus inique Nemo diu gaudet qui iudice vincit iniquo

tHou oughtest to be pacyente and stronge of courage whan thou arte condempned falsely and wrongfully for at the ende thou shalte be therof auenged / for the Iuge that Iugeth vniustlye shal not enioye longe his offyce / but of his vniustyce and Inyquyte he shal be punysshed / Salamon sayth that the Iuste cause & the good ryght that the symple persone hath of hym self shal dresse his waye / & the wycked and vniuste or vntrewe shal be punysshed of hys Inyquyte and euyl / He that is constaunte & stedfast in alle his aduersytees acquyreth foure goodes / The fyrste is whan he is constaunte or stedfaste / he may not be surmounted ne suppedyted or ouercomen of al the world And by cause that al the world shold not mowe vaynquysshe hym that is stedfaste and constaunte / be thou therfore constaunte and In­superable / The second is by cause that he hath euer vyctorye on hys enemyes / The iij is by cause that he becometh ryche therof The fourth is by cause that at thende he acquyreth therfore the glorye of paradyse / whyche is euer apparaylled and redy for to receyue them that been stronge & vertuous in this worlde in resystyng to the synnes and vyces of thys world /

Nec te collaudes, nec te culpaueris ipse Hoc faciunt stulti quos gloria vexat inanis

tHou oughtest not to preyse ne to blame thy selfe in noo manere / For thou oughtest to leue to other to preyse or blame the / and not thy selfe / For the foles ouerwenen and ful of vaynglorye preysen and glore­fyen theym self of theyr owne faytes or dedes / [Page] for thre reasons euydente / none oughte not to preyse hym self ne wyllyng to be preysed of other / The fyrst is lete hym consydere the tyme passed and he shal fynde that he hath doon many thynges / of the whyche he oughte to be wooful and desplaysaunte / The second is that yf he consydereth and ouerseeth the tyme whyche is to come / he shal see many thynges of whi­che he oughte to be doubtous / The thyrd is yf he consydere the tyme presente / he shal fynde wythin hym many vyces & syn­nes / and therfore none oughte not to desyre to haue preysyng ne to preyse hym self in thys world /

Litis preteriti noli maledicta referre Post inimicicias iram meminisse malorum est

tHou oughtest to kepe thy pees of thy maledyccions or cursynges and stryues passed and gone / and not to reherce ne telle them / For thou oughtest to put them oute of thy mynde / specyally whan thou hast made pees wyth hym to whome thou haddest debate and noyse / For it is the dede of wycked and euyl folke for to remembre and to wythholde in his herte the hate and rancour of tyme passed / Tullyus sayth that there nys no thynge so fowle ne so dysho­neste / as for to make werre ageynste hym wyth whome men haue l̄yued longe wyth frendshyp in good pees and concorde Item in tyme passed whan Rome was paynym / was a tem­ple wythin Rome whyche was founded in the worshyp of the god of pees and of concorde / wythin the whyche temple / the god of concorde was sette in suche manere that alle the other ydolles and statues or ymages whyche were there had the face tourned toward the yate of the sayd temple /

And the god of concorde had the face tourned towarde the walle / And was wryton before hym thys same worde / Benefyce / And behynde hym was wrypen / yre / in betoke­nynge that alle men that wyl make and haue pees & concorde [Page] oughtest to put abacke yre and al the Iniuryes / wyich haue ben doon to hym / for otherwyse shold be taken from hym suche goodes that he shold haue acquyred and goten before /

Vtere quesitis modico cum sumptus habundat Labitur exiguo quod partum est temport longuo

tHou oughtest to dyspende and to vse of thyn acquy­red and goten thynges by mesure and attemperatly though thou haue of them grete habundaunce / For men hath dyspended and consumed in lytel tyme that whiche men hath acquyred and spared wyth grete laboure & peyne in a longe space of tyme / Therfore sayth the decretalle / that the lyuyng goten and acquyred by longe tyme / is despended in a lytel space of tyme / And therfore men oughte not to be ouermoche a nygarde / ne ouermoche large in gyuyng there as no nede is for to gyue / by cause that al thynges haue their tyme / For there is tyme for to gyue / and tyme for to wyth holde and to kepe his goodes /

Incipiens esto dum tempus postulat aut res Stulticiam similare loco prudencia sūma est

tHou oughtest to be sage & wyse / & to make the a fole or to dyssymylle folye in tyme & in place whan the thynge requyreth it / For it is souerayn prudence for to can dyssymule folye / that is to wete for to feyne to be a fole in tyme & place couenable / for many one haue made and feyned to be a fole for many causes / fyrst for teschewe offence humayn / secondly for vaynglorye / thyrdly for teschewe theyr persone of somme Inconuenyentes / & the fourth cause for to eschewe the deuyne offence of god /

Luxuriam fugito simul et vitare memento Crimen auaricie nam sunt contraria fame

[Page]Hou oughtest to eschewe and to flee lecherye & aua­ryce by cause that thy vyces and synnes are contrarye to good renommee / for by lecherye men lesen theyr syluer and theyr substaunce / men angre god / and lesen theyr bodyes therof / Therfore sayth galyen that man febleth and debylyteth more his body by losyng of a lytel of his semence or nature than to lose fourty tymes more of his blood / For they that vsen moche wymmen lesen theyr colour and becomen sone olde and feble of body / It is redde in the lyf of faders / of an holy fader whyche had nourysshed a yonge chylde wythin his hermytage that was wythin a wode / but whan thys chylde was come to age / he was often tempted of the synne of le­cherye / & of fayte or in dede he wolde retourne in to the world for to haue maryed hym / wherof the holy fader was gretelye wrothe / In so moche that by the space of two yere / the sayd holy fader by good exhortacion kepte the sayd chylde fro the world / but at the ende he sayd to the holy fader that he myght nomore endure / and that it was force that he shold retourne in to the world / To whome sayd the holy fader / Sythe thou must retourne in to hyt / thou shalte goo and shalte take a wyf / For by maryage thou mayste doo thy sauemente / but or thou goest hens / I demaūnde of the a yefte / that is to wete that thou goo fyrste to the fontaygne whyche thou knowest that is wythin the foreste / and there thou shalte faste fourty dayes / prayeng our lord that he vouchesaufe to gyue to the a good wyf / and of thys was the yonge man wel contente /

Thenne he took of breed as moche as mysteryd vnto hym / and after wente to the fontaygne / and whan he had fasted there by the space of twenty dayes / as he was in oryson he be­ganne to f [...]le and smelle suche a wonder stenche soo grete and soo horryble / that he myght not endure ne suffre hit / & thenne apperyd before hym a wonderful and foule woman ryghte olde that was scabbed and hyr nose droppyng / from whyche came alle the sayd stynche / she salewyd hym sayeng / Allas where arte thou my dere frende / I haue soughte the longe / and neuer I coude fynde the tyl now / alas sayd she I haue loued and desyred the more than alle the men of the world And thenne the yonge man answeryd vnto hyr / [Page] O ryght fowle and stynkyng olde fylthe what demaundest thou / I praye the derely that thou wylte lye wyth me / To that worde sayd the yonge man / fye fye / and spytte in hyr face / and sayd god forbede that I haue suche a loue or para­mour so ful of ordure or fylthe / so stynkyng and so fowle as thou arte / and thenne he demaunded of hyr what she was and what was hir name / I am sayd she lecherye / It is now two yere passed that I began for to seche the / that is to wete whan thou were fyrst tempted of lecherye / Certeynlye sayd the yonge man yf I had knowen that the synne of lecherye had ben so fowle and so stynkyng / I neuer shold haue had wylle for to retourne in to the worlde / And therfore I promytte and make o vowe to god that from hens forthe I shal kepe vyrgynyte / Thenne he retourned to the forsayd holy fader / and recounted vnto hym al that he had seen and herde / Thenne was the holy hermyte moche gladde and ioyous and sayd to the yonge man / yf thou haddest fasted and accomplysshed the fourty dayes / thou sholdest haue wel seen and herde other reuelacyons / & after that the sayd yonge man dwellyd stylle in the sayd hermytage in hys vyrgynyte

Noli tu quedam refferenti credere semper Exigua est tribuenda fides quia multi multa loqūtur

[...]Hou oughtest not euer to byleue that / that men sayen and reporten to the ne to adde feythe to hit / as doon many iouglers which tellen tydynges by swete wor­des for to deceyue the / for many sayen and tellen many thyn­ges whyche are not trewe / for hit may not be / but that in ouer many wordes ne been somme lesynges / Therfore saith Esope that men ought not to byleue alweye al the wordes that men heren saye / For he is for a fole reputed and holden that by­leueth the wordes of a mycheaunte lyar / [Page] The encheson and cause that moeuen the Infydeles and pay­nyms for to saye suche wordes / is by cause that there ben fewe of crystens / and yet that more is / of tho that ben crystene fewe shal be sauyd / For they onelye that kepe the commaundementes of god shal be sauyd / and that byleuen that holy chyrche byleueth / the whyche arguen thus and sayen wherfore shold god haue created so grete a nombre of folke whan he knoweth and knewe wel that they shold be dampned / For ther ben twyes as moche more of Infydeles or paynyms than there be of crysten / and of the crysten allonely the good shal be saued and sayen that yf so were that they shold be dampned wyth the euyl crysten / for one saued there shold be a thousand dampned and moo / Item they saye that it is meruaylle / how god gyueth and hath gyuen soo moche goodes and rychesses to so grete a multytude of people / whan he knoweth & knewe wel that they ben and shal be dampned / To thys errour men may answer and saye / that it is no meruaylle yf many been dampned / to the comparyson and regarde of them that are saued / for it is no meruaylle yf Iustyce rendreth and gyueth to the synnners that / that they haue deserued / and of thys none oughte to be meruaylled / for thou seest wel that the sonne rendreth and gyueth hys lyghte to alle the world / as wel to the euyl as to the good / Wherfore none oughte to meruayll hym / yf the mysericorde of god gyueth moche of goodes to the good / ne yf the Iustyce of god punyssheth tho that are rebelle and euyl ageynste god / and for the Informacyon of thys / saynt austyn sayth / that yf god wolde al the euyl peple shold be good / but he loueth better that they be that / that they wyl be / for yf they be good / thys shal not be wythout meryte ne gwerdon / lyke wyse yf they be euyl and wycked / it shal not be wythoute punycion / for none may not excuse hym selfe but that he shal do wel yf he wyl / by cause that eueryone hath his free arbytre and lyberalle wylle for to do wel or euyl / The holy scrypture sayth that god putteth before the man two glases / that is to wete lyf and dethe / and whyche of them that he wyl haue he shal haue / for yf he doo wel he shal haue lyf pardurable or wythoute ende / and yf he do euyl he shall haue eternal deth / wherfore it apperyth clerely that we ought [Page] not to byleue the argumentes of thynfydeles / for they sayen and maken many argumentes / & they wote not how /

Quod potu peccas ignoscere tu tibi noli Nam nullum crimen vini est sed culpa bibentis

tHou oughtest not to blame none yf thou synnest by ouer moche drynkyng of wyne / so that thou becomest therof dronke / for it is not the fawte of the wyne / but of hym that ouermoche drynketh of hit / For the wyne in as moche as it is created of god / hit is good by cause that hit doeth moche good / who taketh it temperatelye and by mesure / Arystotle sayth in his book of secretes / that the wyne ta­ken temperatelye rendreth the man ioyous / and able in alle thynges that he hath to doo /

Consilium archanum tacito committe sodali Corporis auxilium medico committe fideli

tHou oughtest to counceyl thy self secretelye vnto thy lawful frende and felawe of thyn affayres or dedes and werkys / whan thou knowest that he is lawful and secrete and whan thou hast wel approuyd hym / Lyke wyse thou oughtest not to do medecyne thy body / but of hym whyche is lawful / trusty and experte in the arte of medecyne for to medecyne thy body / The prophete sayth that men oughte to byleue his auncyent frende and hys secrete counceylle / and not the newe the whyche men haue not yet approued / A pro­phete was ones demaunded what thynge he shold / doo the nexte morowe / whyche answerd / yf I shold telle hit to the how sholdest thou kepe hit secrete and not telle hit / whan I may not kepe it secrete but that I must telle hit to the /

Successus dignos noli tu ferre moleste Indulget fortuna malis vt ledere possit

tHou oughtest to bere pacyently the fortunes vnworthy and contrarye to the whyche comen not on the by thy synnes and desertes / For by as moche as thou seest that somme ben better fortuned than thy self arte of so moche more maketh them fortune to descende & falle a lowe shame­fully / For fortune nys none other thynge / but nature wyth­oute reason / For she spareth somtyme the euyl / to thende that she may hurte and deceyue them / Therfore the euyl and wycked folke ben often more fortuned of worldly goodes than the good folke / The wyse beda sayth / that the good oughte not to meruaylle them self / for as moche that the euyll been wel fortuned in thys world / For it apperteyneth not to the good after the relygyon crysten to be enhaunced in temporall goodes / For hit behoueth to them to be poure and holden for fowle in thys worlde / For the euyl hath no thynge in heuen ne the good on the erthe /

Prospice qui veniunt hos casus esse ferendos Nam leuius ledit quidquid preuidimus ante

tHou oughtest often thynke to the fortunes & caas that may fallen to the fro day to day / to the ende that thou be not ouertaken by vnaduertaunce or vnwyt­tyngly / for al fortunes and aduersytees of whyche thou hast be aduysed / hurten ne greuen the not so moche / as they whi­che comen sodaynlye / Seneque sayth that the wyse man oughte to thynke euer in hys courage on the fortunes and aduentures whyche may come vpon hym / For the wyse man sayth neuer I supposed that ony suche fortune shold haue co­men on me /

Rebus in aduersis animum submittere noli Spem retinere spes animum non morte relinquet

tHou oughtest not to dyspeyre the for the thynges contrarye and aduerse that comen and may come to the / for thou oughtest for to haue and to reteyne in thy selfe good and stedfast hope vnto the tyme of thy deth / For euery man ought to haue good hope whan he is in the article of deth / for to lyue eternally in the glorye of paradyse / dys­peyre or wanhope is propyce / and good to the enemye of helle and contrarye to al reason / for the man that deyeth in dys­peyre shal neuer haue pardon nor remyssyon of hys synnes / And thus though that thy werkys or dedes goo not after thy wylle / and that fortune be contrarye to the / thou oughtest not therfore to dyspeyre the / but to haue good hope that god shal gyue to the ynough of goodes in tyme to come / for tho that haue no fortune nor none aduersytees in thys worlde ben not belouyd of god / Saynt ambrose on a tyme as he wente toward Rome he lodged hym wyth an hoost / whyche was moche ryche to whome he demaunded of hys estate / Whiche answerd that he was moche ryche and wel fortuned / and that neuer he had had nonevnfortune nor dysplesure / in thys world / but euer had be in good prosperyte of body and of goodes / and that he had lyued Worshypfully / and that his goodes dyd encrece and multeplye dayly / & thynges come to hym at hys plesure / and thenne whan saynt ambrose vnderstood thys / he was moche abasshed and in grete doubte wherfore he anone sayd to hys seruauntes / lete vs lyghtelye departe fro hens / for god is not here / and by aduenture ye myght be taken wyth hym in hys rychessys and synnes / Thenne as they wente and were not yet ferre from the hows of the sayd man / the erthe claue in two and swalowed in the sayd ryche man / his goodes / his wyf / and al hys meyne / Thenne saynt ambrose torned hym and sayd / loke my bre­thern how god pardonneth medefully to them to whom he sendeth and gyueth aduersite in thys world / & how he punyssheth [Page] cruelly them to whome he gyueth none aduersyte but al pros­peryte / and it is sayd that there is as yet in the same place a pytte in mynde and remembraunce of the sayd myracle and ensaumple /

Rem tibi quam noscis aptam dimittere noli Fronte capillata post hec occasio calua est

tHou oughtest not to leue the thynge whyche thou knowest of presente and for tyme to come prouffyta­ble and necessarye / specyally whan fortune is vnto the fauourable and good / and whan thou arte in good prosperyte / for after thys good fortune whyche thou sholdest leue and forsake / myghte come vnto the another euyl fortune ad­uerse & contrarye to the / by thencheson of whyche thou myght be despoyled of al thy goodes / wherfore thou sholdest neuer recouer that / that thou leftest and forsook / For the comyn pro­uerbe sayth / that men oughte neuer to put at theyr feet / that whyche they holde wyth theyr handes / Lucan / sayth that alle delayeng and neclygence oughte to be sette a parte / For ne­glygence letteth euer al thynges whyche one may haue forth­wyth yf he leue hem not by neglygence / and sayth yet / that al that thou mayst do this day / thou oughtest not to abyde vnto the nexte morne for to do hit / for whan the man is in his good fortune and prosperyte / he acquyreth many frendes / Therfore sayth the wyse man / whan thou shalte be ryche and wel fortuned thou shalte haue many frendes / but whan for­tune shal be contrarye to the thou shalt be lefte allone /

Quod sequitur specta quod que innuet ante videto Illum imitare deum qui ꝑtem spectat vtram (que)

[Page]tHou oughtest to thynke and to take hede to the thynges presente / passed and to come / for thou oughtest for to folowe hym / that beholdeth bothe one & other partye / that is to wete the thynges presente / passed / and yet to come / Saynt austyn sayth as in the persone of god / o thou man / yf thou dysplesest & knowest thy self thou sholdest plese me / but by cause that now / thou wylte not loke ne knowe thy self thou pleasest the & dyspleasest me / for the tyme shall come in whyche thou shalte dysplease thy self / and me also / that is to wete / whan thou shalte be Iuged of me & of thy self also for thy synnes whan thou shalte brenne in the fyre of helle / Seneques sayth that the wyse man and prudente ought to dyspose and to ordeyne of thre tymes / for he oughte to ordeyne of the tyme presente / and to take hede on the tyme whyche is to come / & to haue in his mynde the tyme passed for ellys he shold not goo wel /

Forcius vt valeas interdum parcior esto Pauca voluptati debentur plura saluti

tHou oughtest to be temperate and mesured in alle thynges / to the ende that thou be more stronge bothe of body & of sowle for to resiste the vyces & synnes / for a lytel thynge thou oughtest to do for thy delyte and plesure / that is to wete lytel drynke and lytel mete / and to be selde lecherous and auaricious / by cause that alle excesse ben contrarye to the saluacion of thy sowle / but thou oughtest to do ma­ny thynges / for thou oughtest to be ware and to tempere thy self of ouermoche mete & drynke and to flee al worldly de­syres and to do al thynges agreable and plesaunte to god / Seneque sayth that by voluptees and excesse comyn foure euylles / Fyrst by cause that excessys ben cause of many seke­nessys bothe of body and of sowle / and at the ende foloweth dethe / The second is by cause that they lette and empesshen the man for to do his saluacyon / The thyrd is by cause that by [Page] excesse men forgeten alle benefaytes or good dedes / The iiij is for they leden the man in to the pytte of helle and to peyne eternal or wythoute ende /

Iudicium populi nūquā contempseris vnus Nam nulli placeas dū vis contempnere multos

tHou oughtest not to dyspreyse the Iugemente and sentence of many other whan they ben wyse & prudente / for thou mayst not ne oughtest not to plese to somme yf thou wylte dyspreyse gaynsaye and dysplease many other for yf thou gaynsayest & dispreysest euery body thou sholdest be holden for a fole / for he is wel presumtuous and cursyd of alle the world and reputed the moost fole of alle fooles / that dyspreyseth alle men and that wyl not haue frendeshyp nor please no body / but he hym self allone wyl by hys ouer­wenyng retourne and dyspreyse the sentence of many wyse and prudente men /

Sic tibi precipue qd primum est cura salutis Tempora ne culpes cum sint tibi causa dolor

tHou oughtest fyrst and pryncypally to thynke vpon the cure of the saluacion of bothe thy sowle and body for thou arte cause of thy sekenesse and not the tyme Therfore tho ben fooles that blamen and reprouen the tyme / sayeng that the tyme is cause of theyr sekenesse / of their for­tune / & of theyr synne / Item somme sayen the tyme is now euyl and peryllous / certeynly they wote not what they sayen for no tyme is euyl of hym self / Theuangelyst sayth seke first the royame of god & ye shal haue al thynges that are neces­sarye to you & prouffytable to the saluacion of your sowles / Secondly thou oughtest to seke the sauemēte of thy body / that is that thou be of good rewle and temperate in al thynges [Page] Seneque sayth that by ouermoche mete and ouermoche drynke comen many sekenesses / Item the leches sayen that y^e mowth that is to say ouermoche drynke & ouermoche mete & makyng of excesse / sleeth more folke than the swerde in bataylles /

Sompnia ne cures nā mens humana qd optat Dum vigilat sperat per sompnū cernit idipsum

tHOu oughtest not to retche ne to thynke on suche dre­mes that thou dremest ne to adde feythe nor byleue to them / For thou dremest often and so is thumayn thought enclyned to dreme slepyng that / that she shal haue desyred and coueyted wakyng / for hit semeth ofte / that one seeth in his slepe that / that he dyd see whan he waked / Saynt gregory sayth that there been foure maners of dremys The fyrst cometh by ouermoche affeccion that one hath to the thynge that he dremeth of / and to suche dremes none oughte to byleue ne adde feythe to them by no manere / The second is whyche cometh by cogytacyon or thynkyng fantastyke and by Illusyon of the deuyl / and suche dremys none may not be eschewed / The thyrd cometh by reuelacyon deuyne / and to thys dreme men oughten to adde feythe and to byleue hyt / The fourth cometh by the desyre of the thynge that men haue seen wakyng / and of this dreme by thys present commaun­demente is sayd that men oughten not to retche of hyt / ne to adde to hit [...]eythe in no manere of wyse /

Hoc quicun (que) velis carmen cognoscere lector Haec praecepta feres quae sūt gratissima vite

yF thou wylte flee vyces and synnes / thou ough­test for to kepe these commaundementes / whyche are of ryght canon approuyd and of the holy scrypture / [Page] Therfore euery persone that wyl haue parfyte knowlege of the commaundementes of this book ought to kepe & wythholde the commaundementes whiche he cafter folowen / for they been right agreable & prouffytable to al them that wyl lede good lyf & flee vyces & synnes / wrerfore euery man ought to note and reteyne them in their mynde and wytte /

Instrue praeceptis animum ne discere cesses Nam sine doctrina vita est quasi mortis ymago

THou oughtest not cesse to lerne and to teche these com­maundementes / For the man which is withoute doctryne is like thymage of deth / & therfore yf thou kepe not the commaundementes of thys book hit shal be thy dom­mage / & not the dommage of hym that made & composed them & knowe thou therfore that thou oughtest not to cesse of ler­nyng vnto tyme thou be parfyte in them / Seneque sayth that it is better that the olde man lerne in his olde age / than to be ygnoraunce of that / that he oweth to knowe / & saith that the man withoute doctryne resembleth & is lykenyd to an ymage of deth / for right so as hit is pryued fro lyf naturalle / semblably the man withoute doctryne is pryued fro al vertues / and fylled of al vyces & synnes / therfore none ought not to escuse hym to lerne that which is necessarye for his saluacion / be he olde or yonge or of what someuer age he be / for it is better late than neuer /

Comoda multa feres sinautem spreueris illud Non me scriptorem sed to neglexeris ipse

THou shalte acquyre moche of proffytes yf thou kepe wel & reteyne these commaundementes / but yf thou dyspreysest them / there shal therof come to the man euylles / for yf thou kepe hem not wel / that shal not be to me no dommage / that am but wryter of them / but hit shal be thyn owne dommage and none other / Many euylles and Inconuenyentes shal falle on the yf thou kept not wel these cōmaūdementes / For first al cursynges shal come to the [Page] by cause that thou shalte be cursyd in feldes and possessyon [...] and in al goodes temporalle and spyrytual / Item fruyte begoten of the shal be cursyd and of al thy londe / and al thy goodes also / but to the contrarye yf thou kepest them wel al blessynges and goodes shal come to the / and shalt be benewred and preysed in the cyte and in al goodes bothe spyritu­al and temporelle / and the fruyte that shal yssue of the shal be blessyd / and also the fruyte of thy lande and of alle thy goodes / Item god shal sende to the his tresoure of paradyse / that is to wete of heuen / from whyche shal descende rayne for to bedewe the erthe /

Cum recte viuas ne cures verba malorum Arbitrij nostri non est qd quis (que) loquatur

THou oughtest not to retche ne to take hede of the wordes that the euyl folke sayen of the / specyally whan thou lyuest Iustlye and holyly / For it is not in our lyberal arbitre for to pease or to make to be stylle and to be in pees the euyl tonges / and therfore thou oughtest not to haue charge nor to retche of what euer they sayen of the / For they sayen soner euyl than good / and soner they do their dōmage than thyn / After ryght canon sayth that the euyl folke sle­eth the good in fourtene maners / The fyrst is in takyng the goodes fro the chyrche / The second in makyng dyffyculte to gyue the benefyces and the thynges ecclesyastyke / The thyrd is whan they take the goodes fro theyr parentes / that is to wete of theyr fader and moder / The fourthe is whan they done somme wylful thynge wherof cometh harme and euyl / The fyfthe is whan they gyue noughte to the [...] that haue nede / The vj is whan they denyen or forsaken the tythes whyche they owen to god and to holy chyrche / The seuenth is whan they letten and vexen theyr crysten brother of wylle and of dede / The viij is whan they encorage somme persone to do euyl / The ix is whan they seken and purchasen the losse and the dethe of yonge chyldren / [Page] The tenthe is whan they cutte somme membre / that is to saye whan they hurten somme of theyr parentes / The enleuenth is whan they take the benefaytes fro other / The xij is / whan they doo somme thynge wherof somme other may be broughte to dethe / The xiij is whan they haten theyr crysten brother / The fourtene is whan they gyue counceyl of dethe /

Productus testis saluo tamen ante pudore Quantūcūque potes celato crimen amici

THou oughtest to kepe secrete the blame and mysde [...] of thy frende as moche as thou mayst / that is to wete whan he is accused of somme caas and that thou be callyd in wytnesse ageynst hym / for to say trouthe / but whan thou arte constreyned for to swere / thou oughtest not to fore swere thy self for hys sake / ne to dyshonoure and blame thy self / The wyse man sayth in thys manere / how be it that Socrates and Platon ben my frendes / Neuerthelesse I loue better trouthe / than Socrates or Platon / For ouer al thynges thou oughtest to loue trouthe /

Sermones blandos blesos (que) cauere memento Simplicitas veri fama est fraus ficta loquendi

THou oughtest to eschewe swete and frendelye [...] whan they ben feyned and deceyuable / As they that speken swetelye sorowyng and syghyng / but yf they be vertuous / thou oughtest to holde and approue them / For symplenesse hauyng fame or renommee to say euer trouthe / is euyl / therfore men oughten to eschewe them /

Signiciem fugito quia vitae ignauia fertur Nam cū animus languet consumit inercia corpus

[Page]THou oughtest to flee and eschewe ydlenesse & slouth­fulnesse moder of al synnes / empty of alle goodes & fylled of alle euyll / For whan the courage languyssheth & that hit is abandonned to slouthfulnesse hit consumeth and destroyeth the body of the persone / Item he that is slouthfull to doo spyrytual goodes is werste of alle /

It is redde of a slouthful man whyche reproued an abbot by cause that he sette and made his relygyous or monkes for to werke / and sayd why make ye the goodes to be laboured whyche comen wythouten laboure by them that seruen and loue god / Therfore sayd our lord to marye magdalene that she had chosen the beste partye whan hyr suster martha repreuyd hyr / by cause that she helpyd hir not for to doo hyr besynesse and werke / For she dyd none other thynge / but praye and here god and to be in contemplacyon / Thenne the abbotte dyd doo take the sayd man / whyche helde hym selfe soo deuoute / and maad hym to be shette wythin a fayre ora­torye and deuoute / and sayd to hym sythe thou arte so spy­rytual / that thou mayst lyue wythoute werkyng / holde [...] is a moche fayre book and deuoute / in the whyche thou shalte haue contemplacyon in god here wythin thys oratorye / And thenne whan the houre of none was passed / he beganne to be an hongred & herkenyd & loked ouer yf thabbotte wold calle hym to dyner / and whan the tyme for to sowpe was comin he demaunded of the abbotte yf the brethern had eten ony mete of al that day / and sayd that he was sore an hongred Ha ha sayd the abbotte thou sayest that thou arte spyrytuell they that lyuen spyrytuelly haue noo cure ne nede of our me­tes / For we labouren for to haue our lyuyng and foode / Thenne he beganne for to crye mercy to the abbotte of [...]hat he had sayd / and beganne for to repente hym of hyt / Ha sayd the abbotte I see wel what thou nedest to haue / Certeynlye thou hast myster of marye magdeleyne and of marye marthe that is to say / that thou must werke and doo somme laboure for to gete thy lyuyng wyth / and thou must also haue con­templacyon and praye god for to haue the lyf eternal /

Interpone tuis interdum gaudia curis Vt possis animo quāuis sub ferre laborem

THou oughtest somtyme to take reste / solas and ioye in thy werkys / operacions or besynesses or to studye or in somme other laboure / for yf thou be temperate in al thyn operacyons or werkes thou shalt bere more paciently and more lyghtly wythin thy courage and vnderstondyng the faytes and the payne of thy laboure / for al thynges haue bothe theyr tyme and place who that can take hit / and thou seest by experyence of the bowe / whan it is euer bendyd it is marryd and spylte / also lyke wyse the man may not euer be in trauaylle and payne / Therfore sayth arystotle that the men haue somtyme and oughten for to haue corporalle or bodely recreacyon / as wel as laboure spyrytual or corporalle /

Alterius dictum vel factū ne carpseris vnquam Exemplo simili ne te derideat alter

THou oughtest not to scorne ne mocque of the faytes or dedes of other / that is to wete whā thou seest sōme persone euyl fortunate or accused or Iuged of somme vyce / For by aduenture the tyme shal come that by suche a caas and exemple they myght mocque and scorne the / and men wold saye / thys felawe mocqued and scorned suche one now late of his vnfortune and myserye / & now he is falle in to gretter vnfortune and myserye than he which he mocked was in / for it is sayd comynly / that he that mocqueth other shal be mocqued / & thus none may ne oughte not to scorne the dedes of other / For he knoweth not what thynge shalle to hym befalle / For the sentence is Iuste and resonable / that he that mocqueth and scorneth other / shal be a the ende scorned and mocqued /

Quod tibi sors dederit tabulis suprema notato Augendo serua ne sis quam fama loquatur

THou oughtest wel to note and to wryte in to thy bookes / that is to wete in thy wytte and mynde / the fyrst fortunes and good aduentures that come to the & to kepe and encrece them in suche manere that thou mayst not haue no blame nor repreef by them / that is to wete that whan thou arte ryche thou oughtest to dyspende and gyue of thy goodes by mesure / to thende that thou be not reputed for auarycyous / ne no nygarde / and also yf thou gauest of them to largely thou sholdest mowe falle in pouerte / and so euery man shold mocque wyth the / and of the shold men sayen as the comyn prouerbe sayth / The same hath doon so moche by his two handes / that he is come fro the moest vnto the leste / And therfore thou oughtest to kepe mesure / and thy goodes shall euer encrece and multeplye fro better to better /

Cum tibi diuiciae superant in fine senectae Munificus facito viuas non parcus amicis

THou oughtest to be lyberalle and large at the ende of thy dayes vnto thy frende / and noo nygarde / that is to wete whan thou hast wherof and that thy ry­chesses are ouermoche and more than to thyn estate nedeth for to be holden / For thou oughtest to gyue and to departe sōme to thy parentes and frendes / & to do therwith almesses to the poure membrys of Ihesu cryst / Saynt ambrose sayth that yf thou gyuest not mete & drynke to hym that deyeth for hungre yf thou hast wherof / thou thy self sleest and puttest hym to dethe and arte cause of hys dethe /

Vtile consilium dominus ne displice serui Nullius sensum si prodest cotempseris vnquam

[Page]THou oughtest not to dyspreyse the counceyl of thy seruauntes yf hyt be prouffytable and vtyle / nor also the wytte and counceyl of noo persone / yf hit prouf­fyte to the and is vtyle for the & for thy fayte / though that thou be grete and myghty lord / Seneque sayth that thou must consydere that thy seruauntes be men as thou a [...]e / an [...] that it is necessarye and nedeful to the for to haue seruaun­tes for to serue the / & therfore thou oughtest not to dyspreyse theyr counceyl whan it is prouffytable and vtyle / but thou oughtest to here and herke them swetely and to vse theyr coū ceyl whan it is prouffytable and good / for often they that are humble haue gretter yefte of sapyence and ben more sages than they that are proude and enhaunced and sette on the hyghe chayer in audyence /

Rebus et in sensu si non est quod fuit ante Fac viuas contentus eo qd tempora prebent

THou oughtest to be contente of that / that the tyme gyueth to the / how be it that thou haue not so moche of good as thou haddest before / Therfore thou must re­frayne and leue somme of thyn estate / and to make l [...]se ex­pences / for yf thou wylte holde so grete a state as thou was wonte for to doo / thou myghtest not furnysshe it without ta­kyng and steelyng vniustelye the other mennys good / and by so thou oughtest to be contente of that / that thou hast of presente / and for to holde thyn estate after thy rente and re­uenue / and to rendre graces and thankes to god of alle / Notwythstondyng that thou hast not so moche of rentes and of pocessyons as thou was wonte to haue / or of marchaundy­ses yf thou be a marchaunte / For the goodes of thys worlde been varyable / now one is ryche / and now poure / Socrates sayth / that there was a man that compleyned vnto hym by cause that he was poure / whyche demaunded of hym coun [...]yll what thynge he shold do / To whome Socrates answer [...]d [Page] Yf the goodes that thou hast be not suffysaunte for thyn estate and for thy lyuyng / doo and gouerne thy selfe by suche ma­nere that thou be suffysyng to thy goodes / and so shalte thou be contente of thyn estate / Doo thou as Iob sayd / god gaf [...] hit to me / and god hath taken hit fro me / god be thanked of al / For thus it hath pleased to hym / and thus he hath hyt doon / Therfore euery one oughte to be contente of that / that god gyueth to hym /

Pxorem fuge ne ducas sub nomine dotis Nec retinere velis si ceperit esse molesta

THou oughtest not to take a wyf ne to coueyte hir for hyr dowayr / for hir rychesse ne for hir noblesse / but thou oughtest to chese and take hyr for hyr vertues & good condycyons / and for cause of hir good worshypful & honeste lygnage or kynrede / and specyally whan she hath a good moder / For the doughters folowen ofte the condy [...]on [...] & maners of the moders / but whan thou arte wedded yf [...]y aduenture she doeth to the somme moleste or greef / that is to say yf she be an harlotte or an aduoultrere / thou oughtest to flee fro hyr and to put hir oute fro thy felawshyp / & knowe thou after ryght canon and cyuyl that thou ne oughtest for to leue and put hir fro the but onelye for aduoultrye / For knowe thou that it is the souerayn gyfte of god for to haue a good and lawful wyf /

Multorum disce exemplo quae facta sequaris Quae fugias vita nobis est aliena magistra

THou oughtest to lerne by ensaumple of many wyse men what besynesse thou oughtest to doo / First thou oughtest to flee & teschewe that / that they haue eschewed and fledde / for the lyf of the other straūgers which haue preceded vs must be rewle and maystresse of alle oure dedes and [Page] gouernementes / that is to say that thou oughtest to consydere how many are come to grete worshyp and perfeccion for to haue rewled and gouernyd them wysely / and how many are comen to grete myserye by theyr euyl ledyng and gouer­naunce / and by cause that the faytes or dedes of this world ben varyable and dyffycyle for to knowe thou oughtest for to thynke and to thynke ageyn many tymes to that / that thou wylte doo / and how of lyke caas is betaken to the auncyente wyse men and by so / thou shalte mowe knowe of lighte that that is prouffytable or chargeable /

Cum tibi vel socium / vel fidum queris amicum Non tibi fortuna hominis sed vita petenda est

THou oughtest not to demaunde the fortune of man / but his lyf / that is to say that whan thou wylte a­quyre and haue a good frende and a lawful felawe thou oughtest not to demaunde of hys fortune / that is to wete yf he be ryche noble or puyssaunte / but oughtest to demaunde yf he be of good lyuyng wyse and prudente / for by scyence & wysedom men may recyste to the falaces & decepcions of for­tune / by cause that / that fortune gyueth to the of longe tyme she taketh hit ageyn fro the wythin a shorte space of tyme / but scyence or connyng lasteth and endureth vnto the tyme of dethe / for none may take hit from the / The phylosophre sayth that there ben foure maners of persones whyche kepe not trewe loue / the fyrst is the cruel man and euyl / For he ne demaundeth but hate falsehede and stryffe / The second i [...] the auncyente man / by cause that he doubteth leste he shold be deceyued / the thyrd is the chylde / for for an apple one leseth his loue / The fourth is the comyn woman / for who that gy­ueth to hyr moste shal haue hir loue / but veray & trewe loue endureth euer bothe in aduersite & in prosperyte betwyxte two good and lawful frendes /

Quod potes id tempta operis ne pondere pressu [...] Succūbat labor et frustra temptata relinquas

THou oughtest to preue & assaye yf thou arte stronge ynough / and vertuous for to accomplysshe and to doo that / that thou purposest for to do / or that / that thou hast begonne for to do / and how thou oughtest to lede hyt to good ende / to the ende that thy laboure / that is to wete [...]hat / whyche thou shalte haue begonne for to doo be not to the ouer greuous / and that thou bowe not vnder hyt / for thou sholdest leue al that thou haddest begonne / wherfore euery man shold mocque the / for it is gretter worshyp for to kepe hym selfe fro the begynnyng of the thynges whyche may not be perfourmed ne broughte to an ende / than for to begynne them and after to leue them vnparfyte / Esope sayth that he that weneth to mowe and knowe more than his faculte and nature re­quyreth / alle his fayte or dede is nought / by cause that alle remayneth vnparfyte /

Quod nosci factum non recte noli silere Ne videare malos imitare velle tacendo

THou oughtest not to holde thy pees of that / that thou knowest Iniustely doon and wythoute reason / for yf thou knowest somme thynge ageynste the lawe / or a­geynst the comyn wele / or ageynste one partyculer men / [...] ellys ageynst many / thou oughtest to recyte and manyfesten hit / / for yf thou kepe hit secretelye / men shold mowe saye that thou were partyner and assentyng to the fayte or dede / & shold seme that thou sholdest loue more vniustice than Iustyce in as moche that thou sholdest hyde the vyces of theuyl folke & shold spare to chastyse them & to recyten theyr mysdedes & wickednessesses / I say not but that thou mayst admoneste them by fayre wordes or thou recyte or telle theyr synnes & [Page] mysdedes / Saynt austyn sayth suppose thou not that hyt be euyl doon to reherce and to Iuge the synnes of other / by cause that yf thou sholdest hyde them / thou sholdest do wers by the halfe / and sholdest be cause of theyr dampnacyon & losynge bothe of body and sowle /

Iudicis auxilium sub iniqua lege rogato Ipse etenim leges cupiunt vt iure regantur

THou oughtest to requyre helpe of the Iuge whan the lawe is to sharpe & ouer rygorous / that is to wete that whan thou arte accused of somme caas partyculer and that the lawe is to rygorous ageynst the / or whan men wyl do to the vniustyce / thou oughtest to requyre and beseche humbly the helpe of the Iuge / ffor the lawys wyl & requyren that they be gouerned and Interpretyd euer to the best partye for hym that hath wronge / Item also the Iuge may modere of his offyce the lawes whan they ben ouer rygorous / for it is better that the Iuge be reproued to be ouermoche myserycor­dyons or mercyful / than to be ouer cruel and rygorous / Neuerthelesse the lawes that are approuyd by right canon ben good & trewe / Notwythstondyng that they semen to be vn­trewe to hym whiche is condempned by them / Item also euery good Iuge of his offyce may modere them a lytel /

Quod merito pateris pacienter ferre memento Cum (que) zeus tibi sis ipsum te iudice dampna

THou oughtest to suffre & bere pacyentlye the peyne that thou hast deseruyd / and to the whyche by good ryght and Iustyce thou arte condempned / For sythe that thou knowest thy selfe gylty / thou oughtest to be thyn owne Iuge and to condempne thy selfe / Boece sayth that the euyl & wycked folke ought to goo & to presente them before their Iuges of their owne gree and wylle and to requyre humbly punycyon of theyr vyces & synnes / For hit is better that the malefactour Iuge hym selfe [Page] than that another shold Iuge hym / and thys is that the ap­postle sayth / Yf we be Iuges of our self we shal not be Iu­ged of Ihesu cryste / as dyd the sones of Israhel / which sayd That / that we suffren / we suffre it Iustlye / For we haue synned ageynste our brother /

Multa legas facito perlectis perlege multa Nam miranda canunt sed non credenda poetae

THou oughtest to rede and studye many thynges / and wythholde the good and flee the euyl / for it is good and prouffytable to knowe bothe good and e [...]yl / but thou oughtest not to byleue al that thou shalte rede / by cause that the poetes and many other sayen and rehercen many fa­bles and thynges meruayllous / And for thys cause none ought for to be curyous of the lore and doctryne of these poe­tes the whyche are ful of fables and lesynges / Valere sayth that by especyal the yonge children ought to flee the doctryne of the poetes / by cause that they byleue of lyght al that they heren or seen / and therfore thou oughtest to studye of al scy­ences & to withholden in thy mynde the good & flee the euyl /

Inter conuiuas fac sis sermone modestus Ne dicare loquax dū vis vrbanus haberi

THou oughtest to be temperate in wordes and to kepe thy self fro ouermoche talkyng at the table emonge them that eten and drynken / for thou oughtest to be temperate in speche / to the ende that they sayen not that thou arte a lyer & a tydynges maker / specyally whan thou wylte be holden and reputed for humble curtoys & gracious / of this thou hast experyence of the labourers rustycal / whan they been at a tauenne they make so grete noyse that none may endure by them / for to haue soner doon often they speke all togyder in suche manere that they wote not what they sayen / ne what the other sayen that are wyth them / The wyse man sayth that [Page] none ought to stryue ageynst his frende whan he eteth or drynketh / ne to blame hym whan he is ioyous and mery / Therfore euery man oughte to kepe hym self fro ouermoche talkyng as they eten and drynken / For thou oughtest to speke to the poynte whan it is tyme

Coniugis irate noli tu verba timere Nam lacrimis struit infidias dum femina plorat

THou oughtest not to doubte the wordes of thy wyf whan she is wrothe wyth the / for the wymmen been of suche condycion that the more that they shewe them wrothe & ful of wepynges and syghynges / soo moche more strongly they enforce & enuertuen them for to deceyue the and to take the in their grynnes / & this they doon whan they see that by their wepynges syghynges & wordes they maye not ouercome their husbondes / The woman ought to be subgett [...] to the man / & therfore thou oughtest not to doubte hir for none thynge that she doeth or sayth / Saynt crisostom saith that one may chastyse his wyf in two maners / Fyrst in prayeng hyr swetety / & shewyng to hir / hir fawte by swete wordes / Se­condly whan she wyl not be chastysed ne amende hir self by swete wordes / thou oughtest to smyte & chastyse hir wyth a good staffe / but alwayees thou oughtest to kepe thy self fro the subtiltees & decepcions of thy wyf whan she is euyl and a shrewe / for the holy scripture saith that there ne is heed so euyl ne so peryllous as the heed of a serpente / ne there nys so euyl yre / as the yre of a woman / for she is right bolde & hardy for to do that she thynketh / & right subtyl for to lette somme whā she wyl / for whan she is wrothe she dare saye & do that / that a man durst not doo ne thynke it / for it is the moste wonder­ful & meruayllous beest that is lyuyng whan she is wro [...]he / & the moost cruel / & of other parte she is the moost swete beest that is lyuyng and moost pyteous whan she is good & wythouten wrathe / we reden that a woman by cause that hyr [Page] husbonde bet [...] hir / bethoughte h [...] / that she shold gyue [...]o hym a drynke / of the whyche he wexyd and became dronke / and as oute of hys wytte / and as she thoughte and purposed hit / she dyd and perfourmed hit / Thenne whan she had gy­uen to hym this drynke he became a fole in soo moche that he wyst not what he dyd / thenne she enbraced hym [...] hym vpon his bedde / and after she ranne vnto a mynste [...] / [...]hyche was nyghe by / and beganne for to calle and crye as she had be al madde sayeng / Alas for goddes loue come to socour me and to helpe my poure husbonde whiche deyeth and hath as of now loste his speche / alas whan he was in his good helthe he ne demaunded of god other thynge / but that he myght be­come a monke / and I of the other parte haue vowed chasty [...]e and yet I vowe hit of presente / I wyl not lette ne empes [...]e his sauemente / alas sayd she come ye lyghtlye and put on hym thabbyte of relygyon / to thende that he accomplysshe hys auowe and that he deye relygyous / Thenne the monkes came thyder and made hym a grete crowne / and after they put on hym thabbyce of relygyon in the beste wyse that they coude / For he coude not speke nor knowe no persone lyuyng / And thenne whan the morne came that his dronkeshyp & fransye was passed / he behelde hym self and was al abasshed whan he founde hym self in a monkes habyte / ne who had put hyt on hym / ne made hym soo grete a crowne / Thenne hys wyf sayd to hym alas my right dere husbonde wherof [...] bas­shed / are you not remembryd how yesternyght ye were made a monke whan ye were in your grete fransye / ye knowe wel that it is longe a goo sythe ye made your auowe vnto God to become a monke / Therfore I haue sente for the monkes whyche haue ordeyned you vnto a monke / and to thende that I ne lette nor empesshe your vowe & your sauemente I haue promysed and vowed to god chastyte / in suche manere that I must be al allone poure and as loste in thys worlde / Of these wordes was sore abasshed the poure husbonde / and sayd to hir that he knewe no thynge of that she sayd / ne that he had noo wylle for to be a monke / and wolde haue taken aweye thab­byte fro hym / alas sayd his wyf how are ye so hardy and so bolde to put your habyte aweye fro you & to kreke your vowe [Page] ye wyl dampne bothe me and you also / For I wyl wel that ye knowe that neuer ye ne shal haue felawshyp wyth me / for ye are a veray monke / and god forbede that I lye wyth ony monke / and also ye knowe wel that yf ye leue your habyte al the world shal mocque and wonder vpon you / and euery one shold say that ye were a postate / and al the world shold flee and voyde your felawshyp / by cause that ye were cursyd / So moche and so longe she prechyd hym that by hyr wytte and fayre wordes he entred in to the ordre and relygyon / and gafe in hyr alle hys goodes /

Ptete quesitis opibus sed ne videaris abuti Qui sua consumunt cum deest aliena sequntur

THou oughtest to dyspende thy goodes by mesure wyth oute makyng of excesse / to thende that men sayen not that thou abusest them / also ouer nygarde thou oughtest not to be / But thou oughtest to kepe the myddel waye For thou oughtest not to be neyther ouerlarge ne ouer scarce by cause that whan the goodes fayllen many euyls ofte folo­wen therof / and therfore euery man ought to kepe hym fro consumyng and dyspendyng of his goodes folysshly / many euyls may come by pouerte and by dyspendynges of goodes wythoute mesure / first the spyrytuel goodes ben therfore dys­preysed / and of the sayntes of paradyse they setten not by / Secondly they are vergoynous and shameful to demaunde the brede of god that men gyue for his sake / Thyrdly by pouerte they done many synnes / as is thefte murdre & many other /

Fac tibi proponas mortem non esse timendam Que bona si non est tamen finis illa malorum

THou oughtest not to doubte the dethe for the paynes that folowen / that is to wete that thou must doo soo [...] in thys world that thou doubtest not [Page] the deth / for though she be not good / that is to wete that she is not reputed for good / Neuerthelesse she is the ende of all euyls & myseryes of thys worlde / Semblably men may say that the dethe is good as wel for the euyl folke as for the good / for by the deth the euyl folke leue theyr contynuance & makyng of synnes / therfore is deth good to them & prouffy­table / But she is better to the good folke as the psalmyste sayth / Whyche sayth that the dethe of sayntes is ryght good and ryght precyous /

Vxoris linguam si frugi est ferre memento Nam malum est non velle pati ne posse tacere

THou oughtest to bere & to suffre debonayrlye the wor­des of thy wyf / whan they are prouffytable for the or for other / for it is ageynste ryght and reason to kepe noo pees / but alwayes though thy Wyf be accustomed for to lye / whan she sayth trewe thou oughtest to escuse hir benyg­nelye / and whan she spekyth euyl / thou oughtest to chastyse hyr swetelye and to saye to hyr frendely that she shold kepe h [...]r pees / The phylosophre sayth / that not wythstondyng that the counceyl of wymmen be reputed of no valewe / neuerthe­lesse whan she sayth hir oppynyon and gyueth hyr counceyll forthwyth wythoute to thynke tofore theron / that she oughte to say / men fynde it often good & prouffytable and of grete vtylyte /

Dilige non egra caros pietate parentes Nec matrem offendas dū vis bonus esse parenti

THou oughtest to loue thy fader & thy moder by good & trewe loue Withoute ony faynyng / for it is grete a­busyon to angre his moder whan he wyl be good & be byloued of his fader / for he that shal do euyl to his fader or to his moder / in thende hit shal myshappe to hym & he shal deye poure & vnhappy / The gospel sayth that yf thou wylte lyu [...] [Page] longe on erthe thou must honoure and loue bothe thy fader & moder / or ellys hit may be so exposed / Thou oughtest not to angre thy moder / that is to wete holy chirche whan thou Wylt be good and be byloued of thy fader / that is to wete god thy creatour which is fader of al / Item it is one of the pryncy­pal cōmaūdementes of our lawe / that is to wete thou shalte worshyp god thy creatour / thy fader & thy moder / after the first commaundemente that sayth that thou oughtest to byleue & loue one onelye god /

Securam quicun (que) cupis deducere vitam Nec vicijs haerere animum quae moribus obsunt

tHOu oughtest to coueyte & desyre oueral to lede good lyf and sure in this world and to kepe thy self fro fallyng in to synne / For thou oughtest of alle thy myght to flee al vyces and synnes whyche are contrarye vnto good connycyons and cause of the dampnacyon & losyng of bothe body & sowle / for / for no thynge none ought not to leue hym to be surmounted or ouercomen of synnes /

Haec precepta feres (que) sūt relegenda memento Inuenies aliquid quod te vitare magistro

tHou oughtest to sette & to haue in thy mynde the commaundementes beforesayd whyche thou oughtest ofte to rede / for yf thou consyderest wel the foresayd com­maundementes & them that folowen herafter thou shalte fynde in them somme thynges that shal be to the good & prouffytable for the gouernaunce as wel of thy soule as of thy body / and what thynge thou oughtest to do & folowe / and whyche thynge thou must flee & eschewe / for in the place there as vyce & synne reygneth & hath domynacyon / vertu may not abyde in no manere / by cause that they be contrarye /

Despice diuicias si vis animo esse beatus Quas qui suscipiunt mendicant semper auari

tHou oughtest to dyspreyse the rychesses of this world yf thou wylte be wel happy & lyue surely for to ac­quyre the glorye of paradyse whyche is eternal / For they that haue moost of hit / ben euer more poure and more a­uarycyous than the other / Therfore sayth the gospel / yf thou wylte be parfyte & welhappy in this world / goo thou & selle al that thou hast in this world & gyue hit for goddes sake to the poure membris of cryst / Saynt austyn saith that the auarycyous may neuer haue no suffysaunce / for the more that he hath the more he wyl haue / & he is neuer assured / for he dre­deth euer / Saynt austyn sayth that the auarycyous doubten the foure elementes / first they doubte the water / to thende that hit drowne not their marchaundyses / Item they doubten the fyre / lefte that hit brenne their howses & possessyons / thyrdly they doubten therthe / to thende that theyr fruytes perysshe not fourthly they doubten the wynde / to thende that by wyndes & rayne they be not lette ne empesshed for to goo and doo theyr marchaundyses / Item they doubten al persones / leste that they shold stele their goodes / but tho that haten the rychesses doubten no thynge saufe onelye god theyr creatour /

Commoda nature nullo tibi tempora deerunt Si contentus eo fueris quod postulat vsus

tHou oughtest to be contente of the goodes & prouffy­tes that nature & vsaunce of tyme gyueth to the / for yf thou be contente & hast suffysaunce / the goodes and prouffytes of nature shal neuer faylle to the / for thou oughtest not to requyre nor demaunde of god / but that whiche is vtyle and prouffytable to the for to susteyne nature humayn Boece sayth that nature is contented of lytel / Therfore we ought to desyre & demaunde fyrst of god the goodes spiritual / [Page] For he that hath the spyrytual goodes oughte to haue hope & to byleue stedfastlye that he shal haue ynough of temporalle goodes / For it is seen selde / the Iuste to dekaye ne to haue nede in suche manere / but that he hath euer good ynough for to fede and susteyne hys lyf naturalle /

Cum sis incautus nec rem racione gubernes Noli fortunam que non est dicere cecam

tHou oughtest not to say that fortune is blynde why­che is no thynge / but by cause that thou arte a fole & euyl gouernest & rewlest the / for fortune is not blynde though the poetes sayen & faynen hir to be blynde / but as the wyse man sayth thou oughtest to haue in thy mynde pouerte in tyme of haboundaunce / that is to wete whan thou arte ful & ryche / thou oughtest to kepe & spare sōme goodes for the tyme yet to come / Boece de consolacyon sayth that fortune is noo thynge / but that as the peple comyne ymagyne & supposen / for fortune is no thynge ellys / but onely ymagynacion & fanta­sye / & therfore Whan thou mysrew [...]est thy self / thou oughtest not to say ne to calle fortune blynde nor euyl / for she is noo thynge but ymagynacion and folysshe byleue /

Diglie denarium sed parce dilige formam Quam nemo sanctus nec honestus captat habere

tHou oughtest to loue the money onelye for the fedyng & susteynyng of thy lyf / that is to wete moderatelye & for to haue & bye that whiche is necessarye for thy corporal lyf / for no holy man nor Iuste ouȝt not to demaunde but onely that / that is nedeful & necessarye for his substaunce & corporalle lyf / & not to do as these vserers whiche assemblen & gadren these grete tresours wherof they make their goddes & their ydolles / for they truste more in their gol̄de & syluer than in god their maker / For as saith the scrypture auaryce is none other thynge but seruyces & worshyppynges of ydolles / [Page] We reden of an auarycyous man whyche had moche golde & syluer / Whyche on a day toke his tresour and layed hit in the myddes of his chambre vpon a fayre clothe / and called to hym his wyf and his sone and shewyd to them his tre­sour / and after he made them to goo oute of the chambre and shette the dore / but yis sone helde hym withoute at the dore & loked thorugh a lytel hole in to the chambre / & sawe that his fader knelid before his tresoure & worshypped hit / sayeng ye be myn hope my glorye & al my reffuge / for I ne demaunde nor requyre helpe nor socour of none other god than of you / the whiche man sayeng these wordes leyed hym doun al alonge on his tresour / and emonge al the pyeces of golde he sawe one whyche was fayre and bryghte / to whome he sayd / thou arte moche fayre / I suppose & byleue that thou arte moche good for to ete / the whiche took & put hit in his mowthe and ete hyt / & yet ageyn he sawe another pyece of golde whiche was gret­ter & fayrer than thother beforesayd / & he toke & ete hit as he dyd the other / Item he sawe another yet gretter than ony of them bothe beforesayd & more fayrer / which he supposed to haue swolowed as he dyd the other / but by cause that it was ouer large & thycke hit choked hym / & after was his sowle put & buryed in helle / & was founde deed vpon his [...] as a beest / withoute fawte thus shal hit happen to al them whych louen their tresour more than god their creatour / and more than their bodyes & fowles /

Cum fuetis locuples corpus curare memento Eger diues habet nummos sed non habet seipsum

tHou oughtest to medecyne & doo to be medecyned thy body whan thou arte ryche & myghty for to kepe thy body in good helthe / for the ryche man hath his ry­chesses & his siluer to his wylle whan it pleaseth hym / but he hath not his body ne his helthe nor hym self at hys wylle / [Page] We haue ensaumple of a ryche man whyche had leuer for to lese one of his eyen / than for to gyue a floryn to a physycyen for to helpe hym / & of thother parte it is foūde that many one wold rather deye / than they shold gyue one peny for the helthe of theyr bodyes for to medecyne them / & this is that the wyse man sayth / yf thou arte euyl & contrarye to thyn owne selfe how shalte thou be good toward the other straungers / therfore hit apperyth clerely that the auarycyous hauen no charge ne retchen not of them self / though they haue many of worldly rychesses /

Verbera cum tuleris discens aliquando magistri Fer patris imperium cum verbis exit in iram

tHou oughtest to bere & to suffre pacyently the correc­cion or chastysyng of thy maister yf thou wylt lerne wel / semblably whan thy fader is angry thou ough­test to holde thy pees & to answer humbly & to do his commaū dementes / for by thy swete wordes and meke answer / thou shalte pease his yre / For the comyn prouerbe sayth / that swete worde refrayneth grete yre / & thus yf thou hast somtyme suf­fred the betynges of thy mayster whan thou dyddest lerne / semblably & more stronge reason oughtest to suffre & to bere / the wordes of thy fader whan he is wrothe / The phylosophre sayth that there ben thre persones to the whyche we maye not rendre ne yelde the goodes that they haue doon to vs / Fyrst to god whyche hath gyuen to vs our beyng and sowle reso­nable and wytte / the whyche we oughten to loue & to doubte by cause that he hath made & created vs whan we were not Item he hath boughte vs ageyn whan we were loste / And hath gyuen to vs wytte and vnderstondyng / for to dyscerne the good from the euyl /

Secondly to the mayster that lernyd and taughte the scy­ence and doctryne / For for alle the tresour in the world me [...] shold not mowe bye neyther wysdom ne scyence / [Page] Thyrdly to thy fader & to thy moder whiche haue gyuen vnto the thy beyng / & al thyn hole membris natural / who were he that shold mowe bye one eye or one hande / who shold be he that shold mowe bye scyence / ne who shold be he that shold mow saue y^t but onely god thy creatour / al the tresour of the world shold not do it / & therfore none shold not mowe rendre or yelde the wele that these thre persones beforesayd haue doon vnto vs /

Res age que profunt rursus vitare memento Inquibus error inest nec spes est certa laboris

tHou oughtest to doo thynges prouffytable and vtyle and to flee them that are vnutyle / contrarye & wyth oute prouffyte / For it is folye for to doo thynge that prouffyteth nought to the ne to other / ne of whiche men haue no hope of somme prouffyte / in tyme presente / ne for to come / Item hit ne suffiseth not for to do al onelye the thynges which ben to the prouffytable / but also to the other /

Quod donare potes gratis concede roganti Nam recte fecisse bonis in parte lucrosum est

tHou oughtest sone to gyue to hym that demaundeth & requyreth of the yf thou hast wherof & mayst do hit after thy faculte & myght / and oughtest for to gyue thynges wel acquyred and goten of thyn owne / For of noo thynges euyl goten none may not lycytly gyue / our to doo ony almesse / & yf thou gyuest Iustly of thy goodes thou shalt be partyner to the wynnyng & prouffyte / & shal be rewarded of hit before god thy creatour in the other world / & also per­auenture in this world / There ben somme symple folke that wenen that hit is wel doon for to robbe a ryche vsurer for to gyue to the poure peple / Certeynlye suche thoughte is wycked and deuylly / and they doo not Wel therof / For though they gyuen alle that they robben of the ryche [Page] yet doon they more synnes / than almesse / as wytnesseth ryght canon and the holy scrypture / Therfore euery man ought for to gyue of his owne and propre good Iustlye and lawfully goten /

Quod tibi suspectū confestim discute quid sid Nam (que) solent primo que sunt neglecta nocere

tHou oughtest sone to dyscute & enquyre the trouthe of the thynges doubtous & suspecious in al the wer­kes & dedes whyche thou wylte doo and begynne / for thou oughtest for to knowe of hit the certeynte or thou proce­dest ony ferther / and oughtest for to see & loke what therof may folowe / For often the thynges of whyche men doubten not of / and of whyche they haue no charge ne retchen not for to knowe the trouthe nor to what ende it may come / ben som­tyme ryght greuable & dommages / and comen therof many Inconuenyentes / to the whiche yf men had purueyed in tyme had not mow growen ne borne no dommage / Therfore saith the comyn prouerbe that euyl aduysed hath ofte payne /

Cū te detineat veneris dampnosa voluptas Indulgere gule noli que ventris amica est

tHou oughtest to be sobre of mete and drynke yf thou wylte flee the synne ot lecherye / specyally whan thou arte enclyned and abandonned vnto the sayd synne for the mowthe is byloued of the bely / wherfore thou ough­test for to kepe thy mowthe from ouermoche wynes & meetes so that hit be not cause of thy synne / For whan thou arte en­clyned to the said synne / thou oughtest to faste & to ymagen al the wayes & maners wherby thou shalt best mowe chastyse thy flesshe fro euyl desyres lecherous / wherof comen many euylles

Cum tibi preponas animalia cancta timere Vnum precipne hominem plus esse timendum

[Page]tHou oughtest to drede the man more than ony other beest lyuyng / though thou hast purposed in thy witte for to doubte al the other beestys / to thende that they do not to the no harme / yet alwayes thou oughtest to doubte more the man than ony other beest / by cause that the man is made and formed to the ymage and semblaunce of god / and also by cause that in to the seruyce of man been made & created al beestys / Item by cause that the man hath wythin hym self more of scyence subtyltee and cautele than ony other beest / Saynt austyn sayth that god created fyrst the man racyo­nel / to thende that he shold vnderstond the souerayn wele that god his creatour had doon to hym and gyuen / & also that he shold serue and loue hym Wyth al hys herte and thoughte so that he myght come to the pardurable glorye of paradyse /

Cum tibi preualide fuerint in corpore vires Fac sapias animo si tu poteris vir fortis hab̄eri

tHou oughtest to lerne and acquyre scyence / syth god hath gyuen to the wytte and vnderstondyng to doo hit / For yf thou hast wysdom and sapyence wythin the / thou shalte be reputed and holden for stronge and for worthy and valyaunte / Therfore sayth salamon that wysdom and sapyence been more worthe and more prouffytable than the force and valyaunce corporell / For the man prudente and wyse is better worthe than the man stronge anth valyaunte of his membres / and therfore thou oughtest for to lerne scyence for to tempere and to modere the myght corporalle /

Auxilium a notis petito si forte laboras Nec quisquam melior medicus quā fidus amicus

tHou oughtest to demaunde counceyl and helpe of thy frendes whan thou arte falle in to somme fortune or nede / to the ende that they comforte and counceyl the [Page] in thy myserye & fortune / for there nys noo better a medecyne than the good & feythful frende / for as the medecyne is vtyle and prouffytable for to hele al sekenesses / thus a good frende is good and vtyle for to helpe and comforte hys frende in his fortune and trybulacyon / and there nys no thynge that men oughten to hate soo moche ne to haue in angre and yre / than hym that is enemye whan he feyneth and sheweth sygne and token to be frende / For they oughten better to loue a ve­ray frende than golde or syluer or other worldly goodes / It is founde in the scryptures thre maners of dyuers fren­des / Fyrst somme ben the worldly frendes / by cause that they loue the vanytees and Inyquytees of thys world / The second ben the frendes of the deuyl / for suche frendes louen but for to do euyl / The thyrd ben the frendes of god / by cause that they loue god and obseruen & kepe his commaundementes /

Cum sis ipse nocens moritur cur victima pro te Stulticia est in morte alterius sperare salutem

tHou oughtest not to make sarefice vnto god of dombe beestys / ne to haue hope in the de [...]he of them / as had thauncyente whyche made sacrefyse to god of dombe beestys / For they had in thys alle theyr feythe and byleue /

Certeynlye it is greter folye for to haue hope of salua­cyon for the loue of somme creature than al onelye in the deth of Ihesu cryste thy redemptour / For noo synnar oughte not to suppose for to haue pardon nor remyssyon of his synnes by o­ther deth / than onely by the dethe and blessyd passyon of Ihesu cryste / It is redde in the holy scrypture that the aun­cyents erryd folysshly & hadden a folysshe oppynyon / For they slewe dyuers beestys of the whych they made sacrefyse to god / and byleuyd that by the dethe of beestys god gafe to them pardon / & thou oughtest to knowe that suche folysshe cerymonyes that the auncyentes maad been put now doun & set at nought by the newe lawe of our redemptour Ihesu cryste [Page] and by the dethe and passyon of Ihesu cryste ben putte and broughte to noughte al suche errours / by cause that the veray feythe and byleue c [...]me forthe in the comyng of our Lord Ihesu cryste /

Vtere quefitis opibus sed fuge nomen auari Quid tibi diuicie prosūt si pauper habundas

tHou oughtest to dyspende thy goodes by suche manere that men sayen not that thou arte a nygarde and a­uarycyous / that is to wete in doyng almesses / and wyth them with whome it is expedyente for to dyspende and to gyue / What shold auaylle to the a grete tresoure or a garette ful of whete or a celer ful of wyne / yf hyt were soo that neyther to thy self nor to none other thou sholdest not take nor gyue somme what therof / certeynlye alle thys shold auaylle the noo thynge / but shold be lettyng and chargeable bothe to thy sowle and to thy body / and sholdest be therof blamed and dyspreysed of the world / For euery man shold saye that thou were a nygard [...] and that thou sholdest deye pourely besyde or nyghe thy goodes / Saynt Iherome sayth cursyd be al tho whyche lyuen onelye / to thende that they may gadre and assemble worldly rychesses whyche are so sone pas­sed / and that are so transytorye and of so lytel valewe / and by the whiche they l [...]se the rychesses yf grete valewe and eter­nal wythoute ende /

Si famam seruare cupis dum viuis honestam Hac fugias animo que sunt mala gaudia vite

yF thou wylte haue & kepe good fame or renomee in this world / thou oughtest to flee al vyces & synnes for the euyl ioyes & worldly plesures been ofte cause and mater [...] of euyl renomee / and in thende of dampnacyon [Page] perpetual / The wyse man sayth that the good renomee and good preysyng is better than al the rychesses and tresoures of thys world / by cause that the good and famous name endureth lenger than the rychesses /

Dum sapias animo noli irridere senectam Nā quocum (que) sene sensus puerilis in illo est

tHou oughtest not to mocque & scorne olde age / that is to wete the olde & auncyent folke / though thou be wyse / & that god hath gyuen to the wytte & vnderstondyng for to rewle & gouerne the wysely / for thou sholdest be therfore blamed of al men that haue wytte & vnderstondyng For as Iob sayth sapyence cometh & groweth in man wythin shorte tyme / but prudence cometh by [...]nge space of tyme and prolongeth thexperyence of the wyse m [...]n / In euery olde man is sapyence / but by somme accidentes & wantynges of nature thauncyent retournen and becomen as chyldren been in theyr yongthe / and euery olde man hath comynly the maners and countenaunces of a chylde / therfore men ought not to mocque them / but ough [...]en to suffre pacyently theyr fawtes & theyr symplenesse / for thou must consydere that without ony fawte thou must come to suche estate or ellys to deye in thyn yonge age /

Disce aliquid nam cum subito fortuna recedit Ars remanet vitam (que) hominis non dese rit vnquam

tHou oughtest to lerne somme crafte or somme scyence for teschewe fortune whiche sodaynlye departeth and goeth fro the / but thy crafte or connyng shal neuer leue the vnto the tyme of deth / but yf by fortune thou losest thy worldly goodes / by thy crafte or connyng thou myghtest recouer & gete hem ageyn / but yf thou haddest neyther cōnyng nor crafte at al / and fortune were to the contrarye thou sholdest abyde poure & mysheaunte and myghtest falle in to many Inconuenyentes and perylles bothe of body and of sowle / [Page] It is sayd in a comyn prouerbe / that crafte is better / than the sparhawke / Item crafte and scyence eschewen grete In­bygence / and taken the man from grete myserye & daunger /

Prospicito cuncta tacitus qd quis (que) loquatu [...] Sermo hominum mores celat et iudicat idem

tHou oughtest to holde thy pees & [...]o be moderate / & to loke & herke what euery man shal say / and to note & sette hit in thyn vnderstondyng / for by the wordes of the folke thou shalte mowe vnderstonde & knowe their cōnyng & prudence / & their fol [...]e [...]e mauayste / [...]or of haboundaunce of the herte the mow [...]e speketh & sayth what the herte thynketh Therfore sayth the gospel / Ha thou euyl man I Iuge and condempne the by thy mowthe and by thy wordes / for comyn­lye euery persone sayth & speketh as he thynketh / The good persone sayth neuer but wel / & the euyl & wycked saith euer euyl / and therfore by the wordes of the folke men knowen theyr condycyons whether they be good or auyl /

Excerce studiū quāuis percepe [...]is a [...]tem Vt cura ingenium fit et manus adiuuat vsum

tHou oughtest to excercyce & folowe the studye though that thou haue the arte & scyence of many thynges / for right so as al craftes which is vsed dayly rendreth & maketh the hande able & redy for to excercyse & doo lyghtly the sayd crafte / In lyke wyse by ofte studyeng & to haunte the studye & the clerkys / men able them in what someuer scyence that it be / & they acquyren the vsage of al artes & scyen­ces for to vse & studye them often / For hit is moche better to haue the arte or the experyence of somme scyence or crafte / [Page] than to haue the scyence withoute experyeence or vse / what shold auayle to the thy scyence or thy crafte yf thou canst not vse & helpe thy self therwyth / and thou oughtest to studye in suche manere & so longe that thou mayst gete and acquyre the experyence & vse of the connyng or crafte of the whyche thou purposest for to helpe thy self /

Multum venturi ne cures tempora fati Ne mortem metuit qui scit contempnere vitam

tHou oughtest not to haue cure ne retche for [...]enquyre of thy fortune ne whan thou sholdest haue hit / nor of many other thynges of whiche enquyren many sym­ple folke / that wyl knowe the secretes of god / for none may knowe suche thynges / but by deuyne reuelacyon / For he that can dyspreyse this lyf mortal and do good werkys / and to kepe the commaundementes of god / doubteth not the dethe / & he gyueth not force nor retcheth not for to knowe his fortune / ne whan he shal deye / For he setteth alle in god hys creatour whyche knoweth alle thynges / The wyse man sayth that the naturalle dethe is none other thynge / but the comyng out of a pryson / for to come in to the hows / Item the dethe is ende of al exylyng and banysshyng / for to come in to fraun­chyse and at lyberte / Item deth is consumacyon and ende of al payne & laboure for to come to reste of lyf / Item she is eschewyng of al euyl / for to haue al goodes / Item dethe is despoylyng & alegeaunce of a right grete & heuy far [...]el / that is to wete of our flesshe / Item dethe natural is none other thynge / but waye and connyng for to goo & retourne in to his londe / that is to wete in to the glorye of paradyse / & ther­fore none oughte to doubte the dethe naturelle whan he is of good lyuyng / and that he kepeth the commaundementes of god his creatour and maker / but of the deth eternal is alle the contrarye / for euery man oughte to doubte hit aboue all thynges /

Disce sed a doctis indoctos ipse doceto Propagada est etenim rerum doctrina bonarum

Hou oughtest to take & lerne thy scyence and thy go­uernemente of the wyse men / & after thou oughtest to teche to the ygnorauntes good condycyons and good doctrynes / that is to wete how they ought for to rewle and gouerne them / and how be it that it is good for to lerne of euery man / Neuerthelesse the scyence & doctryne of wyse men is more prouffytable & better than of other / & therfore whan thou hast lerned wel and hast had good counceyl of the wyse men / after thys thou oughtest for to lerne & teche the ygno­raunte / he techeth and lerneth hym self whan he techeth & en­doctryneth the other / by cause that noo scyence ne none arte or crafte may not endure longe wythouten vse and excercyce / that is to wete wythoute hit be vsed and ocupyed oftymes For vse and practyke maken the scyences and craftes for to growe and endure / The phylosophre sayth that there ben two thynges whyche are of noo prouffyte / that is to wete the tre­sour whiche is closed and hydde in therthe / and the connyng whiche is enclosed & shette within man / withoute to be vsed practyked communyked and taughte to the other /

Hoc bibe qd possis si tu vis viuere sanus Morbi causa mali nam (que) est quecū (que) voluptas

tHou ouȝtest to drynke the wyne in manere that thou be not hurte therwyth / for thou must take of hit but as moche as suffiseth to thy complexion yf thou wylt lyue in helthe bothe of body & sowle / for dronkshyp and alle superfluyte of wyne ben cause of lecherye & of many euyls & sekenesses and also of many stryues and dyscencyons / He that taketh the wyne by mesure & temperately prouffyteth to hym moche & to hym doeth moche good / Fyrst hit causeth good [Page] colour naturelle / Item it causeth good dygestyon / Item hit kepeth the mete wythin the body fro corupcion / Item hit boyl­leth the mete wythin the stomack & purefyeth & ledeth hyt by al the membres of the body / tyl hit be conuerted & tourned in to pure / clene and subtyl blood / Item hit maketh the herte ioyeful / Item hit comforteth & openeth the wytte & vnder­standyng of the persone / Item hit maketh man to speke wel & hardely / and causeth good appetyte in alle thynges /

Laudaris quodcun (que) palam quodcun (que) probaris Hoc vide ne rurfus leuitatis crimine dampnes

tHou oughtest neuer to blame ne dyffame what some­uer persone the whyche thou shalte haue preysed and approued openlye to be good & iuste / Ne also other thynge what someuer hit be / For hyt were sygne or token of Inconstaunce / & yet ageyn thou myghtest be repreuyd of the cryme & blame to be to lyghte & Inconstaunte / & euery man sholde say that thou sholdest bowe wyth al wyndes / that is to say / that in the shold not be stedfastnesse ne no truste / and by so thou sholdest be defyled & dyspreysed of al persones / we reden of foure phylosophres whiche dysputed and argued to­gyders of thynconstaunce & mutabylyte of the thynges / The fyrst sayd that the moost Inconstaunte and moost mutable thynge in this world was the woman / The second said that it was the wynde / The thyrd sayd that it was the lyght / the fourth sayd that it was the mannes herte / and thys laste oppynyon was approued and founde trewe / To this purpoos saith saynt gregorye that there nys thynge soo mutable as is the herte and thought of the man /

Tranquillis rebus quo sunt aduersa caueto Rebus in aduersis melius sperare memento

tHou oughtest to eschewe and flee the contrarye thyn­ges whan thou arte in good prosperyte and in good [Page] fortune / and to consydere how men haue grete peyne for to gete and acquyre the goodes / and grete dysplesure and malenco­lye to lose them / and yet ageyn yf by aduenture thou comest fro prosperyte in to aduersyte / thou oughtest for to haue hope that thou shalte haue better in tyme yet to come and more of goodes than euer thou haddest / for the goodes and euyls co­men sodaynlye / The poetes feynen that the goddesse Syrces sayd that she was doughter of the sonne / and by hyr they vnderstood the prosperyte of this world / and sayen that on a day vlyxes beyng vpon the see sawe the palays fro ferre of the goddesse Syrces / but thys goddesse had suche prosperyte and propyrtee that she tourned the folke in to suche fourme as she wold / Thenne the sayd vlyxes sente somme of hys felawes in to the sayd paleys of Syrces for to bye mete and suche thynges as they neded / but whan the goddesse saw them she made semblaunte to receyue them ioyously & to make hem good chere / the whiche made sone the tables to be leyed and couerd and gafe to them bothe mete & drynke / and as sone as they had dronken of the drynke that she gafe vnto them / they were tourned in to the fygure of suynes / thenne whan vlixes sawe that his felawes came not ageyn / he yede forthe vnto the paleys for to speke wyth the goddesse / and demaunded of hyr where his felawes were become whiche he had sente vnto hyr for to haue had suche thynges as they neded / but wyth­oute answer the sayd Syrces presented to hym the cuppe for to drynke the whyche drynke vlyxes refused / and so he was kepte fro the fygure and fourme of a swyne / and dyd soo moche by fayre wordes that the sayd goddesse took hym to hir husbonde / And therfore she made his felawes to become men ageyn as they were before / and whan the sayd vlixes had dwellyd a yere wyth the sayd goddesse / he & his felawshyp retourned in to his contreye & lefte the goddesse sirces grete with chylde / the whyche chylde thas named thelagonus / the whiche afterward by ygnoraunce slewe his fader vlyxes / To speke morally / by thys goddesse thou must vnderstonde the prospe­ryte of thys world whyche is lyke the see / And by the fela­wes of the sayd Vlyxes whyche were tourned in to swynes [Page] thou oughtest to vnderstande them that come to the prosperyte of this world / the whiche assone as they haue dronken of the delyces of this world / ben tourned and fygured in to the forme of swynes / that is to say that by theyr vyces and syn­nes they lose the vse and knowlege of rayson and vnderstan­dynge / and becomen as swynes or other dombe beestes / But whanne Vlyxes cometh / that is to wete the wyse man and prudent he kepeth hym self wel fro drynkynge of the delyces of this world / And thus he maye wel be maryed wyth the sayd goddesse / that is to wete with the prosperyte of thys world / and that more is / they that are torned in to swynes that is to wete they that haue loste rayson / the whiche man by swete wordes and ensamples maketh hem to retourne in to Reason that is to wete in to theyr fyrst fygure /

Discere ne cesses cara sapiencia crescit Rara datur longo prudencia temporis vfu

THou oughtest not to cesse fro lernynge / though that thou be of hard wytte / For by contynuacion and to studye strongly / thou shalt mowe acquyre grete connyng and prudence / For men haue but l̄ytell scyence and prudence yf it come not by longe vsaunce and longe contynuacion / For it is Impossyble for to acquyre scyence and prudence / ne no­ne other arte ne craft within lytell tyme / For hit is of nede / that suche scyences and artes comen by longe contynuacion / Therfore sayd a wyse Senatour of Rome that yf he had one foote in his graue / yet wold he euer lerne / as he wold saye / that alle scyence is goten and acquysyte by contynuacion and longe vse

Parcè laudato nunquam tu sepe probaris Vna dies qualis fuerit monstrabit amicus

[Page]THou oughtest to preyse thy frendes by mesure vnto the tyme that thow hast approuued them / that is to wete / vnto the tyme / that thou hast trewe experyence that they ben thy frendes / and by especialle that thou hast approu­ued them in parylle of dethe / For men knowen wh [...]e [...]ey are in parylle of dethe / he that is a trewe frende / Therfore [...]ou oughtest by mesure and temperatly to preyse thy frend / For the day shalle come / that he whiche thow hast preysed shall she­we yf he be thy frend or not / And yf he be suche / as thow had dost supposed / The signes or toknes of very loue ben shewed in foure maners / Fyrst by wordes / for when the persone hath the herte fulle of hertelysshe loue / the mouthe thenne speketh habundauntly and affectuelly / For it is sayd comynly / that by thabundaunce of the herte / the mouthe speketh Secondly men knowe trewe loue by yeftes and the same to­ken is gretter than the fyrste / For many one hel̄peth other by wordes that shold not helpe of his goodes / Thyrdly one knoweth his frend by the seruyse that he dothe with his persone / And the same is yet gretter than ony of the bothe tokens be­fore sayd / For many men shalle helpe other bothe of theyr wordes and goodes / that wold not serue of their persone / as Ia­cob dyde / whiche serued fourten yere for his frende Rachel / Fourthly men knowen theyr frende in aduersyte and paryll of dethe / And the same signe or token is gretter / than ony of the other before sayd / For they may not fynd gretter token of loue / For many one shold habondonne theyre persones in the seruyse of theyr frende / that wold not putte theyr bodyes in [...]o the perylle of dethe / For none may shewe gretter charyte / than to put in parylle of dethe his body and his sowle for his frende / As dyde a Senatour of Rome called papinia / of whiche recounteth Valere in his booke / For ryght soo as men proueth the gold in the fornays / Ryght soo they prouue theyre frend in aduersyte / For many one be founden whiche are onely frendes at the table / that is to saye atte dyner and souper / and not in aduersyte /

Ne pudeat que nescieris te velle doceri [Page] Scire aliquid laus est pudor est nil discere velle

THou oughtest not for to haue shame ne vergoyn yf an other techeth the that thou canst not / Care thou not of whome thou lernest / but that thow mayst knowe / for hit is gretter honour and praysynge and ryght gre [...]e prouffyt for to conne somme thynge / And by the contrary / is grete dishonour and ryght grete dommage to knowe no thynge / ne to wylle ought lerne / It were grete folye to a man seruaunt and in the daunger of alle the world / yf he had leuer to be pryso­ner and in seruytude alle the dayes of his lyf / than to demaunde grace and mysericorde and fredome / certaynly it were grete folye / thou wost wel / that scyence is fontayne of alle goo­des / And Ignoraunce is fontayne and moder of alle euyls

Cum venere et bacho lis est et iuncta voluptas Quod iustum est animo complectere sed fuge lites

THou oughtest to flee dronkeship and lechery and al her voluptuosites / For by dronkeship & lecherye comen many and Infynyte euyls and inconuenients / by cause that ther as regneth dronkeship and lecherye / may neuer be good pees ne concord / For there as dronkeship and leche­rye regnen / ben none other / but voluptuosytees stryues and de­bates / Therfor thou must flee dronkeship and lecherye / and be sobre in metes and drynkes / and in al thynges that myghte trouble thyn vnderstandynge and courage / And thus thow shalt eschewe al stryues and debates / and al euyl voluptuo­sytees / And also al euyl and carnal desyres / And knowe thou that the werke man that is dronke of customme shal neuer be ryche ne puyssaunt / The wyse man sayth / that by wyn and by wymmen comen many euyls and inconue­nyents / first by wyn cometh lecherye / stryf and debate murdre thefte & many other infynyte euyls / Item by a woman cometh ydolatry / as thou hast ensample of Salamon / whiche adoured [Page] the ydolles for the loue of a woman / Item by women haue be many wyse men brought vnto foly / as was Arystotle that suffred hym to be ryden of a woman / And to haue the brydell in his mouthe as he had be a hors / Item by wymmen many haue ben deceyued and begyled many / as vyrgyle that was hanged by a woman at a wyndowe within the Cyte of Ro­me / the whiche woman promysed to hym for to haue drawen hym vp in to her chambre / but whanne he was half vpward / fro the ground vnto her chambre she lefte hym there soo han­gynge vnto the morowe next / in soo moche that euery man myghte see hym who so wold

Dimissos animo tacitos vitare memento Quo flumen est placidum forsan latet alcior vnda

THou oughtest to flee them that speken but lytyl and sobrely / that is to say tho that speken symply / feynyng thypocrysye / For suche folk ben full of malyce and of falshede / as thou seest that the flood whiche is stylle and renneth not is often more depe and more peryllous / than that same whiche renneth strongly / Tullius sayth in his booke that men oughten to doubte more them that speken lytel and symply as maydens and ypocrites than them that speken boldly and soone / and that sayen clerely al that they thynke and haue in theyr hertes withoute makynge of ony fyctions / ne ypocrysye /

Cum tibi displiceat rerum fortuna tuarum Alterius specta quo sis discrimine peior

THou oughtest not to take to dysplaysyr the losse and fortune of thy goodes / and yf by aduenture thou hast displesaūce of the fortune of thy goodes considere & loke wel & thou shalt fynde / y^t many one that are better than thy self [Page] arte / haue nothynge / and that demaunden theyr brede for god­des sake / Item thow shalt fynde and mayst knowe dayly / that many that are Iuste and of good lyf / and better than thow arte lese ofte al theyr goodes by fortune / and comen vnto grete myserye and pouerte / And therfore yf thou considere & loke well on alle these thynges / thow shalt haue pacyence of the losse and Infortune of thy goodes / Therfor sayth Ryght that it is ioye and solas to the poure meschaunts and In­fortunat for to haue felauship /

Quod potes id tempta nam litus carpere remis Tucius est multo quam velum tendere in altum

THou oughtest to proune and to assaye thy self for to doo that thou mayst doo / and to abyde and lede hit to good ende and perfection / For whanne thow he [...]yn­nest and enterprysest for to doo somme thynge / thou oughtest to loke the begynynge / the myddel / and the ende / that is to wete that whanne thou enterprysest for to doo ony thyng / hit is more sure for to holde the myddel way / and comyn estate after thy myght and puyssaunce / than for to enhaunce thy self soo hyhe / that thou must descende or falle doune / For it is grette honour to be enhaunced vpward / but it is grete dyshonoure to descende / and to be cast dounward / Item thou oughtest not for to begynne a thyng that thow mayst not brynge to an en­de / For hit is grete vergoyne and shame for to leue a thynge vnparfyghte / It is sayd comynly / that who ouerladyth hym self / shall not bere ferre his fardell / Therfore ben they wel happy / that goo and holden the myddell weye / For who that en­haunceth hym self more than he ought / he shalle falle doune from hyher than h [...] ne wold / And therfor it is more sure for to lede his ship wyth oores vnto the Ryuage / than for to haue vp his saylle and goo and lede hit in to the hyhe [...] / [...]hat is to saye / that it is more sure to lede the myddell stat [...] / than for to rowe in to the hyhe see / beynge in parylle to be drowned

Contra hominem iustum praue contendere noli Semper etenim deus iniustas vlatur iras

THou oughtest not to stryue / ne to take debate ageynst the man Iuste and Innocente / for oure lord punys­sheth euer the yre and wrathes vniuste / specially / whan they are done vniustely / and withoute cause ageynst the Iuste and Innocents / And hit is that the holy scrypture sa­yth / Neuertheles whan the Iust and Innocente ben Iniuryed and molested vndewly and withoute cause / they ought to haue pacyence and to pardonne and forgyue alle the men that haue done or sayd wronge to them / As dyd oure lord whiche forgaf to them / that crucyfyed / and put hym vnto dethe vniustly and wythoute cause /

Ereptis opibus noli merere dolendo Sed gaude pocius si te contingat habere

THou oughtest not to wepe ne to discomforte the when thow losest the Rychesses and temporalle goodes of this world / but thou oughtest to be ioyeful therof hauynge desyre and good wylle for to acquyre and gete other goodes in tyme to come / For the rychesses of this world ben not oure own / but owen to fortune / by cause that they ben out of vs / and alle at auenture / Seynt Ambrose sayth / that we haue no thynge of oure owne / but that we bere with vs / It is redde of a man / whiche was moche discomforted and soroufull by cause that be hadde loste his sone and his syluer / the whiche demaunded counceylle of a wyse philosophre for to wete what he shold doo / Thenne the philosophre sayd / wepe no more of that thou hast lost thy sone / but be ioyeful and glad of that oure lord hath gyuen to the a sone / & that thow haste lost hym / Item to this that thou saist that thou hast lost thy syluer / of this thou oughtest not to wepe / ne to haue ma­len [...]lye / For wete thou for trouthe / that thy Syluer hath lost many one / And by auenture / yf thow haddest not lost [Page] hit / it had lost the / therfore care thou not of nothynge / alle is subgette to fortune / therfor thynke for to wynne and gete now good and to engendre and make now children /

Est iactu [...]a g [...]auis que sunt amittere dampnis Sunt quedam que ferre decet pacienter amicum

THou oughtest to suffre more for thy Frende / than for ony other thyng erthely / that is to saye / though it is greuous thynge to lese his goodes / neuertheles hit is gretter dommage / and that men oughten more to doubte of the losse of their lawfulle and trewe frende / than for to lose alle the goodes and Rychesses of this world / For one maye well recouere the losse of his goodes / but he may not recouere the dethe of his good Frende / And notwithstandyng / that hit greueth one moche for to lese his good / whiche he hath ac­quyred / and wonne with grete payne and trauaylle / Neuer­theles thou oughtest for to bere and suffre more for thy lau­ful frende / than for the rychesses of this world / whiche are transytorye / and so soone loste / Alle wyse men and vertuous owen [...] suffre four thynges for her vertuous frend [...] / Fyrste be oweth to suffre deth / and be pryued of lyf corporall / Secon [...]ly pryuacion of all worldly goodes / Thyrdly pryuacion of alle dygnytees and offyces / And fourthly pryuacion of vertues /

Tempora longa tibi noli promittere vite Quocūque ingrederis sequitur mors corporis vmbrā

THou oughtest not to promytte to thy lyf / that thow shalt lyue longe / that is to saye / that thow shalt not suppose ne promytte to thy lyf / that thow shalt lyue longe / ne to haue hope of longe lyuynge / For thow oughtest to wete / that thow haste no morowe / And that the dethe is nyghe to the / And that none maye nought lengthe his lyf / And in what someuer place / that thow goost / the dethe foloweth the / as doth the shadowe of thy body [Page] whiche foloweth the where someuer thow goo / The dethe and the lyf are as two rennars / whiche rennen strongly one a­geynste the other / the whiche fynden and mete soone bothe togyder / For as soone as the man is borne / he renneth natu­relly and demaundeth the deth / For hit is nature / by cause that for to deye he is come in to this world /

Thure deum placa vitulum fiue crescat aratro Ne credas placare deum dum cede le [...]atur

THou oughtest to pease god with encence and by good werkes and by good oracions and prayers / and le­ue the calf for to growe and to drawe the pl [...]ugh / For thou oughtest not to suppose for to pease god by slaugh­ter of beestes as men dyd [...] in thauncyent lawe of Moyses / For how be hit that it was commaunded that in the lawe of Moyses for to make sacrefyce of beestes / ¶Neuertheles this commaundement was but fygure and mysterye of the newe testament / by whiche / are to vs forboden and deffended suche sacryfyces / For in the newe testamente we haue com­maundement for to sacrefye to with encens whiche is odoryfy­rous and of swete smellynge / and for to praye god deuou­tely by humble and deuoute oracions and prayers /

Cede locum lesus fortune cede potenti Ledere qui potuit aliquando prodesse valebit

THou oughtest to gyue place to fortune / and to thy better also / For yf fortune is of present contrary vnto the / she shalle mowe helpe / and to be prouffitable vnto the in tyme to come / Item yf a gretter than thy self vexeth or troubleth the of presente or now / he shalle mowe helpe the in tyme comyng / therfor thou ouȝtest to haue pacyence & to bere pa­ciently al fortune / for y^u ouȝtest to bowe with al wyndes y^t is [Page] for to saye / that thow must haue pacyence / as wel in aduersi­te as in prosperyte / And of this thow hast experyence by the copwebbe / whiche breketh often / by cause that he may not be bowed / ne humble ageynste the wyndes / as dothe the reede / whiche boweth on alle sydes as the wynde bloweth hit /

Cumcquid peccaris castiga teipse subinde Vulnera dum sanas dolor est medicina doloris

THou oughtest to chastyse the by thy owne self of thy owne synne / that is to wete by trewe confession / For soo as as a sore or an euylle is medycyne and helthe of another sore or euylle / Ryght soo penytence he [...]h th [...] / that is to saye / whanne thow takest and receyuest hi [...] [...] good herte / And that thow hast good and trewe contricion and repentaunce / And whanne thow hast acoomplysshed the penytence whiche the preest hath gyuen to the / ¶For saint gregorye sayth / that better hit is / for to suffre somme lytelle payne in this mortal lyf / than for to suffre in the other world payne and tormente eternalle / Intollerabile and wythoute ende / ¶Oure sauyoure Ihesu Cryste punys­sheth somme folke in this world for fyue causes / ¶The first is / to thende / that by theyre punycyon / the Iuste maye haue the gretter meryte / as hit appyereth by Iob / and by Thobye / whiche were ryght Iuste / And neuerthelesse they haue ben sore and greuously punysshed in this world / ¶The Second is / to the ende / that the vertue be kepte and deffended fro the synne of pryde / As hit appyereth by saynte Powle / whiche was colaphysed / and bete by the Aungelle Sathanas / ¶The thyrdde is to thende that they chas­tyse them self of theyre synnes / As hit appyereth by Marye suster vnto Moyses / whiche was longe tyme Leper / to thende / that she shold chastyse hyr self of hyr synnes / ¶The fourthe is to thende that the glorye & myghte of god maye be [Page] manyfested / as it appie [...]ed by the child whiche was borne as blynde / Of the whiche saynt Iohan speketh in this manere / This chyld / neyther his parentes haue not synned / wherfore he oughte to haue be borne blynde / but he was borne al blynde to the ende / that the werkes / that is to wete / the Myracles and the glorye of oure lord be manyfested and shewed on hym / ¶The fyfthe is that the begynnynge of payne and of trybulacion be contynued perpetuelly in them / as hit appereth by Herodes and by the Zodomytes that are / and shalle euer be perpetuelly in to the paynes of helle with the dampned /

Dampnaris numquam post longū tempus amicum Nutauit mores sed pignora prima memento

THou oughtest not of lyght to departe and leue thy frende / that is to wete / whome thou hast had by longe space of tyme a good frende / And yf he by ony ma­nere hath mysdone ageynste the / thou oughtest not soone to departe therfore fro his frend shyp / though that thoffence by hym commysed ageynste the be greuous and ryght straunge And notwithstondynge that he hath tourned his condycions and gretely mysdone ageynste the / Neuertheles thou muste yet remembre within thy self the old loue and the fyrste frend ship that thou hast hadde in tyme passyd wyth hym / For he maye yet torne and chaunge his euylle condicions in to good condicions / ¶The scripture sayth that he that is somtyme a good frende and not contynuelly / shalle not be trewe frend for to socoure the in thy trybulacion / whan thow shalte haue nede of hym /

Gracior officijs quo fis mage carior esto Ne nomen subeas qd dicitur officiperdi

THow oughtest to be swete / gracious and humble in thyn offyce or in thy seruyse withoute to be proude to [Page] them / the whiche shalle haue somwhat to doo with the / and that shall do to the seruyse and playsyre / to thende that thow be not reputed for vnkynde / proude or mysknowynge the good and seruyse whiche they haue done to the / ¶Item also to thende that they sayen not that the name whiche is called office lost is theyr owne name / that is to saye / that the seruyse whiche they haue done to the is l [...]ste / ¶Item also to thende / that thou lesest not the offyce in the whiche thow arte Instytued by thy pryde and vnkyndenesse For thow oughtest euer to be good and curtoys and to ha­ue mynde and knowlege of the goodes and seruyses / that other haue done do the /

Suspectus caueas ne fis miser omnibus horis Nam timidis et suspectis aptissima mors est

THou oughtest not to be doubtous ne suspicious in what someuer maner that it be / For he that is suspi­cionus / that is to wete whanne he trusteth noo body he is meschaunt / And euer he shall be reputed for meschaunt and myserable / And he shall neuer haue pees ne reste ney­ther of body ne of conscyence in this world / wherfore hit appereth that the dethe were more couenable to the doubtuous and suspicions than the lyf / For better it were to them for to de­ye than to lyue longe in suche payne and myserye / ¶But whanne thow arte Iuste / lawful / and of good lyf / thow oughtest not to doubte neyther old nor yonge / pouer ne ry­che / ne noble ne vylayne / neyther deth nor lyf / but thou ough­test to lyue hauynge no doubte / but only of god / ¶Seneque sayth in his booke of the remedyes of fortune that drede or fere cometh to the man and sayth to hym / Thow shalt deye / Surete answerd and sayth / Deth is to man thyng naturall and not payne / by cause he is come in to this world for to deye and to retorne in to the other world from whens he cometh / For the lyf of this world nys none other / but a pylgremage / For whanne the man hath gone ynough fro one [Page] syde to another / He must rotorne there wheroute he cam fyrste / ¶Item fere sayth / thow shalt deye / And surete ansuereth / yf I deye / I shalle not be the fyrste / ne the laste / For many one deyde before me / And alle tho that shalle come after me shall deye also / For this rewle is generalle withoute ony excepcion ¶Item as soone deyeth yonge as old / ¶Item fere sayth / Men sayen euylle of the / Surete ansuereth / yf I were gylty / I shold be ferefulle / specially / yf hit were sayd in Iugement And that men myght prouue in Iugement that hit were as they sayen of me /

Cum seruos fueris proprios mercatus in vsus Et famulos dicas homines tamen esse memento

THou oughtest to traicte and to hold thyne owne seruauntes swetly / the Whiche thow hast chosen for to do for the seruyse / For though that they be seruauntes / thou oughtest to haue in thy mynde that they ben men as thow arte / For thou oughtest to knowe / that at the begynnynge of this world nature and fraunchyse were bothe lyke & egalle to alle men / Therfor sayth Seneque / He that is now lord and grete mayster / the tyme shalle mowe come by fortune that he shalle become a seruaunt / by cause that the honours and for­tunes of this world are soone tourned / therfore none ough­te to haue truste in them / ¶Item Seneque sayth / that thow oughtest to lyue with thy seruauntes and to repute and hold them for thy frendes and thy seruauntes / For how be hit that they be seruauntes / Neuertheles they be men as thow arte / ¶It is sayd comynly that ther is no lytel frende / nor none lytelle enemye / ¶It is redde of a man whiche had thre fren­des / And the fyrste he loued more than he dyd his owne self The second he louyd as moche as he dyde hym self / And the thyrdde he louyd lesse than he dyd hym self / ¶It happed that this man hadde grete nede of his frendes and for to haue helpe and socours he yede toward his fyrste Frend / whiche he loued more than his owne self / to whome he exposed his caas and nede / and sayd to hym / Ye wote wel / that I [Page] loue yow more than I do myn owne persone / I requyre and praye yow / that ye wyl now helpe me at my grete nede / The whiche answerd to hym / Man I wote not well what thow arte / I haue many other frendes which most be festyed of me this day / Neuertheles sayd he / here ben two shetes for to couere the / whiche I gyue to the / Thenne the good man as al concluded yede toward the second frend / whiche he loued as moche as his owne self / to whome he exposed his caas as he dyd to the fyrst frend and demaun [...]ed of hym comforte and helpe / The whiche answerd to hym in this manere / Fayre and swete frende / I haue now other thynge for to doo / than for to hel­pe the / ne for to counceylle the of thy faytte / but neuertheles I shalle hold the companye vnto the yate / And after I shal retorne to my hows / for to doo and go aboute my besynesse / Thenne the good man wofull / and as desperate went toward his thyrdde frende / whiche he loued lesse than hym self / to who­me he exposed and told his nede as he had done to the other two before sayd / sayenge / Allas I haue no mouthe / that oughte to speke to the / For I haue not loued the so moche as I shold haue done / but neuertheles I requyre and praye the that thou ne wylt faylle me now at my nede / For I am re­lynqued and forsaken of al my frendes sauf of the / The whi [...]che thyrdde frend answerd to hym ioyously and sayd / Cer­taynly I hold and repute the for my lauful frende / For I shalle gladly go with the for to speke with the kynge / and shalle praye hym for the / and for thy faytte / to thende that he condempne the not and delyuere the in to the handes of thyn enemyes / ¶Moraly to speke / By the fyrst frende thou oughtest to vnderstande the rychesses of this world / the which men loue more than their owne self / but whanne they be cyted be­fore the kynge / that is to wete / before god of paradys / they bere with them of alle theyr rychesses / but only two lytel she­tes / By the second frend thow must vnderstande thy wyf / thy Children and thyn other parentes / for as soone as they haue accompanyed theyr fader vnto the yate / that is to wete vnto his graue / and that he is buryed in the erthe / soone after they retorne to their howses for to go aboute theyr besy­nesse / and for to departe and dele their faders goodes / whiche [Page] is deed / By the thyrd frend thow oughtest to vnd [...]rstand [...] feythe / hope / charyte / almesses / and all good dedes whiche one hath done in his lyf / the whiche gone before vs / whanne we are cyted before the kynge of paradys for to kepe and deffende vs fro our enemyes / that is to wete from the paynes of helle / whanne the soule sh [...]lle departe oute of our bodyes / By this Hystorye appyeret [...] clere [...] / that he whiche is trewe frende / loueth euer as wel in tyme of aduersytees as of pros­peryte / And how we bere nothyng oute of this world / sauf only [...] and [...]uylle de [...]s that we dyd duryng oure ly [...] / [...] [...]how and loke for to do euer wel / and treate thy [...]uauntes / lyke as thow woldest be treated of them / yf thou were in suche caas as they be / For how be it that by cause of fortune somme be seruauntes and in seruytude / Neuertheles we are all bretheren in Ihesu Cryste / And they be men as thy self arte /

Quam primum capienda tibi est occasio prima Ne rursus queras que iam neglexeris ante

[...]Hou oughtese to take the fyrst and good auentures that happen and comen to the / that is to wete the firste good fortunes that thou knowest to the prouffitable and necessary / to thende that afterward thow ne demaundest nor aske not that whiche thou myghtest haue had withoute ony request nor demaund / and withoute daunger / therfore sa­yth the prouerbe that one ought not to sette and putte at his feet that which he holdeth in his handes / That is to wete that the thynge whiche thou mayst haue the day whiche is vtyle & prouffitable to the / thou oughtest not tabyde vnto the next da­ye for to take hit / For by auenture that whiche thow mayste haue to day without daunger / yf thow abydest vnto the next day / thow shalte not haue hit at thy playsyre and withoute daunger / wherfor it ensieweth that none oughte to be slouful and neclygent for to laboure and werke for his body and for his sowle bothe whanne it is tyme / For thou muste do as the Ante dothe / whiche maketh his purueaunce in the somer for [Page] to ly [...]e in tyme to [...]ome in the wynter /

Morte repentina noli gaudere malorum Felices obeunt quorum sine crimine vita est

THou oughtest not to haue ioye of the sodayne dethe of euylle folk / that is to we [...]e of the poure synners / but oughtest to haue therof displaysyr and wo / For hit befalleth ofte / that as well the good folk as the euylle and wycked folke deyen sodenly / For the Iugement and senten­ces of Ihesu Cryst ben dyuerses / Therfore wel happy are they / whiche deyen in the feythe of Ihesu Cryst oure redemptour / There ben fyue causes / why men oughte to haue dysplaysyre and wo for the dethe of wycked folke / The fyrst is by cause that they be perpetuelly dampned / yf they deye in synne mortal or dedely / The second is for the grete shame / that they take of their dethe before alle the world / The thyrd cause that they be pryued fro the vysyon of god their creatour / The fourthe is / the cruel payne and passion that they suffren at theyr d [...]th / The fyfthe is for the horryble ymage or fygure that they [...] after theyr dethe / For they be lyke vnto that horryble bees [...] of the whiche speketh thapocalips in the fourtenth chapytre /

For fyue causes pryncipall men oughten to haue ioye of the dethe of the good and Iuste folke / the fyrst is by cause / that after the deth corporalle they regnen and comen in to the glori [...] of paradys / the second is by cause that they haue fayrer how­ses and gretter place for to dwelle in / the thyrd is by cause / that they haue better metes for to ete / the fourthe is by cause / that they haue g [...]etter lyght for to see / the fyfthe is / by cause / that they haue more better ayer for to smelle / These fyue goo­des acqueren the Iuste and good folke after their dethe / whanne they be in the glorye of paradys

Cum coniunx tibi sit / nec res & fama laborat Vitandum ducas inimicum nomen amici

[Page]THou oughtest to flee and eschewe all hate and me­lancolye of thy wyf / that is to saye whanne thou hast a fayre wyf / And that thow hast not wel / wherwith to susteyne her estate / ner wherwith to gouerne her / kepe and [...] ke wel / that none deceyue the / for ofte many one shall make semblaunt to be thy good frende for loue of thy wyf / though that they be thyn enemyes / And they shalle fynde the manere for to gyue euylle praysynge to thy wyf and to take her worship fro her / therfor thou oughtest for to repute & holde suche folk for traytours / and not to gyue to them the name to be thy frendes / For enymytee and hat [...] are contrary to frend­ship and concorde / And yf by aduenture hit happed that men spake euylle by thy wyf and of thy frende / and that hit were not so / And thou ne supposest ne bileuest in thy conscyence that hit he so / though that oueralle be renommee that it is soo / thou oughtest for to adde gretter feythe to the trouthe of this that thou knowest / than to the renommee that is gyuen to thy wyf or to thy frend / For hit happeth oftymes / that the folke bla­men and speken euylle by somme persones whiche thynge is not trewe / and somtyme hit is trouthe / And thus bothe the one and the other of the causes afore may befallen and be tre­we /

Cum tibi contingerit studio cognoscere multa Fac discas multa vita nesare doceri

[...]Hou oughtest not to be proude for thy grete connynge and scyence / that is to wete / yf hit happed / that thou haue lerned by thy dylygence and to haue well stu­dyed many of artes and scyences / thou oughtest not for to be the more proude therof / Ne yet to cesse of lernynge / ne for to haue shame for to be taught / and to lerne of hym whiche is lesse than thy self art / For thou oughtest to suppose that thou woste lytel to the regard of other / For there is none so wyse a man / but that he fyndeth yet somme for to lerne / Therfor saith the prouerbe that one may not al knowe / nor one may not ha­ue all / For none is parfyghte in no scyence /

Miraris verbis nudis me scribere versus Hec breuitas sensus fecit coniungere binos

THou oughtest not to be merueylled yf this lytell book conteyneth two sentences in two verses / For that ha­ue I do pryncipally for two causes / Fyrst for to esche­we prolyxyte / and longe wordes / For yf I had wryten many verses / the sentence had be so grete / so derke and obscure / that vnneth my wytte had mowe comprehende conceyue / ne expowne hit / And therfore I haue made this lytel book in double verses / the whiche conteynen two shorte and vtyle senten­ces for the symple folk / Also by cause that this day many one ben gladde to see or here shorte wordes or sentences / The second cause why I haue done and made this lytel booke in two verses is by cause that the doctryne and gouernement bothe of the body and of the sowle is conteyned in hit / For whiche thynge men may intytule this lytell book the myrour of the regyme & gouernement of the body and of the sowle /