SEdechias was the fyrst phylo­sopher by whō thrught y^e wyll and pleaser of our lorde god sapyence was vnderstande and lawes receyued. Whi­che Sedechias sayde that euery creature of good by­leue ought to haue in hym syxtē vertues. ¶ The fyrst vertue is to drede & knowe god & his aūgelles. ¶ The seconde vertue is to haue discrecyon to dyscerne y^e good from the badde & to vse vertues & fle vyces. ¶ The thyrde vertues is to obeye y^e kynges or prynces y^t god hath ordeyned to reygne vpon hym & that haue lorde shyp and power vpon the people. The fourth vetue is to worshyp his fader & his moder. ¶ The fyfth ver­tue is to do Iustely and truely to euery creature after his possibylyte. ¶ The sixthe vertue is to dystrybute his almes to y^e poore people. ¶ The seuenthe vertue is to kepe & defende straungers & pylgrymes. ¶ The eyght vertue is to bynde & determyne hymselfe to ser­ue our lorde god. ¶ The nynthe vertue is to eschewe fornycacion. ¶ The tenthe vertue is to haue pacyence ¶ The enleuenth vertue is to be stedfaste and true. ¶ The twelfthe is to be peasyble and attemperate & shamefast of synne. ¶ The thyrtenthe vertue is to lo­ue Iustyce. ¶ The fourtenthe v{er}tue is to be lyberall & [Page] not couetous. ¶ The fyftenthe vertue is to offre sa­cryfyces to our lorde god almyghty for the benefyces & graces that he sheweth hym dayly. ¶ And syxten­the vertue is to worshyp god almyghty and to put to hym holy in his proteccyon and defence for resistan̄ce of the infortunytes that dayly falles in this worlde ¶ The sayd Sedechias sayd that ryght as it apper­teyneth to the people to be subgect & obeyssaunt to the royall maieste of theyr kynge or prynce ryght so it be houeth theyr kynge or prynce to entende dylygently to the wele and gouernaunce of his people / and rather to wyll the wele of them than his owne propre lucre for by simylytude ryght so is the kynge or the prynce with his people as the soule with y^e body. ¶ And sayd yf a kynge or a prynce enforce hymselfe to gadre mo­ney or tresor by subtyll exortacyon or other vndue meanes he ought to knowe he dooth amys. For suche tre­sor may not be gadred w^tout the sequele be to his daunger or depopulacyon of his realme or countre / & sayd Sedechias yf a kynge or a prynce be neclygēt & slouthfull and take no hede to serche and enquyre the dispo­syon & werkes of his enemyes thentent wyll and dede of his subgectes he shall not longe be in surete in his realme. ¶ And sayd the people is fortunate & happy that haue a good and a vertuous kynge or prynce dis­crete and wyse in scyences. And moche are the people infortunate whanne ony of these thynges lacke in theyr kynge or prynce. ¶ And sayde yf a kynge or a prynce for slouth leue to do ony of lytel thynges y^t hym ought & is ordeyned he sholde execute lyghtely after [Page] he leueth gretter vndone and so consequently he may lese all ryght / as a lytell sekenesse or hurt without it be sone & well remedyed may cause the destruccyon of all the holy body. ¶ And sayd yf a kynge or a prynce byleue the fayre wordes and flatterynge of his ene­myes hauynge no respecte to theyr werkes it is mer­uayle but the sayd kynge or prynce therby sodaynly take harme. ¶ And sayde it aperteyneth to a kynge or a prynce to enforme his sone in vertue and scyence howe he shall gouerne his lande after hym howe he sholde be ryght wys to his people / howe he sholde lo­ue & haunte his knyghtes not sufferynge them to vse to moche huntynge nor other ydelnes / but instructe them to haue good eloquence and to eschewe all vany­tees. ¶ And sayd it appertyneth to a kynge or to a prynce. Yf he wyll haue ony nygh a seruaunt fyrste to knowe his guydyng and condycyons and how he gouerneth hymselfe in his house & amonge his felowes and yf he vnderstadde hym of good condycyon and gouernaunce hauynge pacyence in his aduersyte re­teyne and take hym than hardely and elles to bewa­re of hym. ¶ And sayd Sedechias yf thou gaue a very true frende that loueth the well thou ought to ta­ke hym more in thy loue and fauoure than ony of thy­kynnesmen desyrynge thy deth for to haue the succes­syons yf the goodes. ¶ And sayd communely euery resamblaūce delyteth other. ¶ And sayd he that wyll not be chastysed by fayre and swete wordes / ought [Page] to he corrected by sharpe and harde correccyon. ¶ And sayd the gretest rychesse is satisfaccyon of the herte. ¶ And sayd he is not ryche to whome ryches lasteth not ne whan they may be lyghtly take away but the best ryches is that thynge that dureth perpetually. ¶ And sayd the obeystaunce done by loue is more fer­me than that that is done by myght or drede. ¶ And sayd that experyence is a good chastyement. ¶ And sayd the lokynge vpon the begynnynge of the werke yf it be good gyueth hope to the endynge. ¶ And sayd that good renowme and fame is ryght profytable in this worlde y^e dedes therof auayle in the other worlde ¶ And sayd it is better a man to holde his peas than specke moche to ony ignoraunt man & to be alone than to be accompayned with euyll people. ¶ And sayde whan a kynge or a prynce is euyll tatched and vycy­ous better is to them that haue no knowlege of hym than to those that be grettest mayster in his house.

¶ And sayd better is a woman to be barayn than to bere an euyll dysposed or a wycked chylde. And sayd the companye of a poore wyle man is better than a ryche ignoraunt that weneth to be wyse by subtylte. ¶ And sayd he that offēded god his creatours by gre­ter reason he fayleth tho other. ¶ And sayd by leue not in hym that sayd he loueth and knoweth trouthe and doth the contrary. ¶ And sayd the ignoraunt mē wyll not absteyne them from theyr sensualytes but loue theyr lyfe for theyr pleasaunce / what defence soo euer be made vnto them / ryght as chyldren enforce them selfe to ete swete thynges and the rather that they be charged y^e contrary. But it is other wyse with wysemen for they loue theyr lyues but onely to doo [Page] good dedys and to leue ydelnes and the delectacyons of this worlde. ¶ And sayd how many be compared y^e werkes of them that entende the perfeccyon of the good thynges perpetuell to them that wyll put theyr delyces transytory. ¶ And sayd that the wyse men bere theyr greues and sorowes as they were swete vnto them knowynge theyr trouble pacyently take the en­de therof shall be to theyr meryte. ¶ And sayd that it is profytable and good to do well to them that haue deserued it / and that is euyll done to do well to them that hath not deserued it. For all is lost that is gyuen vnto them ryght as the reyne falleth vpon the gra­uell. ¶ And sayd he is happpy y^t vseth his dayes in doynge couenable thynges & taketh in this worlde but that / that is necessarye vnto hym and may not forbe­re. Aplyenge hym selfe to doo good dedys and to leue the badde. ¶ And sayd a man ought not to be demed by his wordes but his werkes. For communely wordes ben vayn but by the dedes is knowen the harme or the prouffyt of euery thynge ¶ And sayd whā that almesse is distrybute to poore indygent people / it pro­fyteth as a good medycyne couenably gyuen to them that be seke. But the almes gyuen to y^e not indygent is as medycyne gyuen without cause. ¶ And sayd he is happy that w^tdraweth his ere and his eye from all euyll thynges. ¶ And sayd the moost couenable dys­pence that ony man may make in his lyfe it is that is sette in the seruyce of god and in good werke. ¶ And the seconde it that is spended in necessarye thynges that maye not be for borne as mete drynke clothynge & for remedyes ayenst sykenesse. ¶ And worst of all is that is dyspended in syn & euyll werke∴

HErmes was borne in egypte & is as moche to say as mercury / and in Ebren as Enok. Whiche was sone to Iareth y^e sone of Metufale y^e sone of Ma­laleel the sone of Caynan / the sone of Enoes sone of Seth sone of Adam / and was afore the greate flode called Noes flode. After y^t fyll there a nother lytell flo­de whiche drowned but the countre of egypte onely a sore the whiche the sayd Her­mes departed thens and went thrugh all landes tyll he was foure score yere olde and two. And with hym had .lxxij. persones of dyuers tonges. Whiche alway stered exorted the people to obeye our lorde god / and edyfied. Cviij. townes whiche he fulfylled with scyences. And was the fyrst that foūde scyences of scoles & establysshed to the people euery clamat lawes coue­nable and apperteynynge to theyr opynyons / to the whiche. Hermes the kynge in to dayes gaue greate audyence & obeysaunce in all theyr landes and so dede then habytaūtes of the Isies of the see / he cōstreyned them to kepe y^e lawe of god in souȳge trouth to dyspy­se the worlde to kepe Iustyce to wynne the saluacyō in the other worlde / he commaunded oraysons and prayers to be sayde and to faste euery werke one daye to destroye the enemyes of the lawe to gyue almes to the poore goddes people / that is to say to the feble and [Page] Inpotent he commaunded that porke flesshe and ca­melys shulde be eten and suche semblable metes and commaunded them expressely that they shulde kepe thē for periury he stablysshed many festes at certayn seasons and ordeyned also dyuers persones to offre sacryfyces at the rysynge of the sonne and somother at the fyrste newe mone / and atte the coniunctyon of the planetes / and also whan the planettes entre in to theyr houses / and whan they ascended and whan they descended. The sacryfyces were of many thyn­ges that is to saye of roses / of floures / of greynes / of whete of barley / of frutes of grapes / of lycours of wynes. ¶ And the same Hermes sayd that it was not recompense sufficient to thanke god onely for the gra­ce he hath sent vs. ¶ And sayd O thou man yf thou dredest god well thou sholdest neuer fall in to the pa­thes that bryngeth man to harme. ¶ And sayd ma­ke not youre clamours to god as Ignoraunte full of corrupte wylfulnes and be not inobedyent vnto our lorde god nor trespassoures to his lawe. ¶ And wyll none of you doo to your felowe otherwyse thenne ye wolde be done to / but be concordaunt and loue to gy­der vse fastynge and oraysons in pure and clene wyl­les. Contreyne you to doo good dedes humbly and without pryde in suche manere as of youre werkes may growe good fruytes / and kepe you oute of the companyes of theues of fornyeacoures and of those that vse euyll werke. ¶ And sayd kepe you that ye be not periured / and let trouth be alway in your mouth and swere not but ye and naye enforce you not to cau­se them swere that ye knowe wyll lye lest ye be par­teners to theyr pariury and putte your truste in god [Page] that knoweth all secretes & he shall Iuge you in equi­te at the grete day of Iugement whan he shall gyue renumeracyon to the good for theyr goodnesse and punysshe the euyll for theyr wyckydnesse. ¶ And sayd be ye certayn that the redemptor our lorde is the gretest sapyence and the gretest delectacyon that one ought to haue of whom all goodnesse cometh & by whom all the gates of wytte and vnderstandynge ben opened And god that hath loued his seruauntes hath gyuen them dyscrecyon & hath establysshed prophetes and prophecyers & mynystres fulfylled w^t the holy ghoost by the whiche he hath manyfestely shewed vnto thē the secretes of the lawe / & the trouth of the sapyence to thentent that they sholde eschewe all errous and applye therin to all good dedys and sayd vse sapyence & folowe the lawes be mercyfull and garnysshe you w^t good doctrynes / thynke and loke well vpon your werkes without hastynge you to mykyll and in especyall whan ye shall punysshe mysdoers & yf ye vse ony ma­nere of thynge lykely to synne be not shamefast to w^t ­drawe you therfro & to take penaūce for the same for to gyue other exāple for yf it be not punysshed in this worlde it shall be at the grete daye of Iugement & su­che shall be tormented w^t grete paynes without ony pyte taken vpon them. And sayd correcte you by your selfe and folowe the wyse man lernynge of them good vertues and lette all your desyre be to wynne good re­nowme & fame employe not your tyme & your mynde in falshede nor in malyce / and sayd loke ye sette noo baytes to the noysaunce of ony body / nor that ye seke theyr hurtes by cautelles or subtyltes. For suche werkes wyll not be hydde but at the last they wyl appere [Page] ¶ And sayd constreyne you to annexe the loue of god & of your fayth vnto sapyence and yf ye doo so all your lyfe it shall be to you a grete proufytable wynnynge / and of that noble vertue shall come vnto you grete be­nefyces than yf ye sholde assemble grete gold & syluer or other treasours not durable / for it shall be to you a grete rycesse in the other worlde that neuer shal haue ende. ¶ And sayd be all one within & without in that ye shall speke & beware that your wordes be not con­trary to the thoughtes of your herte. ¶ And sayd hū­ble & obeye your selfe to your kynge & your prynces & worshyppe the grete mynysters vndre them loue god & trouth & gyue true counseyll to that entent ye maye the more holy w^t your good penaunce be in the waye of saluacōn. ¶ And sayd yelde louynge vnto our lorde as well in your trybulacyon as in prosperyte in your pouerte as well as in youre rychesse. ¶ And sayd ye shall bere hens none other thynge but youre werkes and therfore beware that ye iuge not vniustely / & de­syre rather to haue pouerte in doynge good werkes than rycesse in synne / for rychesse may soone be loste & good dedys shall euer abyde. ¶ And sayd beware of to moche laughynge and mockynge ony persone a l be it ye pyrceyue in hym ony foule or euyll tatche yet re­buke them not dyshonestely but thynke that god hath made you all of one matere & myght haue made you as euyll as he wherfore ye ought to thanke his goodnesse y^t hath shewed you suche grace & hath kept you fro myschefe in tymes past and present and pray hym of his mercy he wyll so kepe you forth. ¶ And sayd yf it fortune that the enemyes of youre fayth wyll dys­pute with you by dyuerse and sharpe sayenge answere [Page] them in swetenesse & in humylyte praynge god to be of youre coūseyll & that he wyll adresse all his crea­tures to the good fayth for theyr {per}petuall saluacyon. ¶ And sayd be scylent in counseyll and be well ware what ye speke before your enemyes leste ye resemble hym that seketh a rodde to be betten with all. ¶ And sayd ye may not be Iust without y^e drede of our lorde god / by the whiche ye atteyne helpe of the holy ghost that shall open you y^e gates of paradyse wherin your [...]oules shal entre with those that haue deserued euer [...]astynge lyfe. ¶ And sayd esche we the cōpany of tho­ [...]e that loueth you not of euyll people of dronken men and ignorauntes. And whanne ye thynke ony good thought exsecute it & ye maye incontynent leste ye be let or withdrewe there fro by ony synystre or euyll tēptacyon. ¶ And sayd haue noo enuye thought thou se ony prosperyte come to an euyll man for his ende shall not be good. And sayd make your chyldren lerne good in theyr youthe or they fall to malyce / and soo ye shall not synne in them. ¶ And sayd worshyp and praye to our lorde with a clene wyll and adresse all your desy­res to hym and shall helpe and enhaunce you. What part so euer ye go and subdewe your enemyes vnder you. ¶ And sayd whan ye wyll faste make fyrst clene your soules of all fylthe that your fastȳge may come of pure hert w^tout ony euyll cogytacōns whiche god reputeth wyle & as ye ought to absteyne your selfe fro metes so ought ye to absteyne fro synne for it satyffy­eth not to spare metes & doo euyll dedes. ¶ And sayd in your yonge age vysyte our lordes houses and let all your oraysons be in swettenes & humylyte withoute pompes or pryde / & whan ye be moost mery in youre [Page] houses with your folkes haue in remembraūce of our lordes poore indygent people and departe vnto them your almes. ¶ And sayd gyue conforte to prysoners to them that be in sorowe & trouble / hele y^e seke / clothe the naked / gyue mete to the hungry drynke to y^e thru­sty / herberowe pylgremes / make satisfaccion to your credytours & pacyently suffre the Iniuryes that ben done vnto you. ¶ And sayd dysconfort not them that ben in afflycyon but helpe them w^t swete & pleasaūte wordes / and yf it be suche as afore haue hurte you be­nygnely forgyue it them satisfyenge you with y^e pay­ne that they suffre. ¶ And sayd enforce youre selfe to wynne frendes / & than fyrst preue them or ye putte to moche truste in them lest it be to your hurt / and that after therof ye repente you. ¶ And sayde he that god exalteth in this world ought to take no pryde nor vayne glorye in it / not repute hymselfe gretter than one of his felowes for god hath made ryche & poore of one creacyon thrugh whiche all be egall. ¶ And sayd be­ware that in your Ire or Indygnacyon there escape out of your mouth no foule wordes for it is dyshone­ste & engendreth hate it is not {con}uenyent for hym that wyll haue scyence to seke it by mede or for money but onely by delectacōn and bycause it is more precyous than other thynges. ¶ And sayd that thȳge is good & noble that causeth in his realme goode lawes to be kepte & mayntened & the badde to be layde downe∴

¶ And sayd largesse and lyberalyte is knowen whan a man is in necssyte & poorete and pacyence whan one hath power to Iuge & be auēged. ¶ And sayd he that worsyppeth y^e wysemen loueth Iustyce & doth good dedys and enforceth hym to wynne syences and good [Page] condicyons & therfore he shall fynde that lyketh hym in this worlde or in y^e other. ¶ And sayd he is vnhap­py bothe here and there that hath witte and wyll ler­ne no scyēcene doctryne. ¶ And sayd he that wyll not teche that / that he vnderstandeth in scyence and good condycyons he shall be partener to the ignoraunce of froward folke and he hath dynyed to teche scyence to hym that is cōuenable vnto he ought to be depryued of his benefyce in this worlde / but there is none that doth so saue Ignoraūt folkes whiche commonly ben enuyous froward & yll wylled. ¶ And sayd lyberalyte & largesse be better in scyence than in rychesse for y^e renomme of a wyse man abydeth & the rychesses abydeth not. ¶ And a man ought not to offende nor hate hym but ought to do good ayenst harme for the wer­kes of the wysemen is preued in thre thynges that is to saye to make his enemyes his frendes and to ma­ke the rude connynge and to reforme the euyll dospo­sed vnto goodnes. ¶ And sayd he may be called good whan other fare the better for his goodnesse. ¶ And sayd he that loueth the wele of his neygbour as his owne. ¶ And sayd that grete scyence proufyteth lytel to a couetous man. But lytell scyence proufyteth mo­che to hym that withdraweth his courage from couetyse. ¶ And sayd that the lyfe may be resembled to y^e fleynge of an arowe and the deth in lyke y^e lyghtynge therof. ¶ And sayd / it is more merytory and better to haue pytye vpon the fole than vpon the worldely wy­se man. ¶ And sayd he that holdeth hym not satysfy­ed with that / that god had sent hym deserueth not to haue more. ¶ And sayd a reporter or a cōtryuer of ta­les comonly other he lyeth to hȳ that he telleth them [Page] or he is fals to those y^e he hath sayd it of. ¶ And sayd derysyō and scorne putteth a waye & wasteth loue as the fyere dothe the bronde. ¶ And sayd the enuyous man is frendly to hym that is present & in his absen­ce is his enemy & so sheweth hym his frende by wor­de and enemy by dede. ¶ And sayd one enuyous man serueth of nought but to dysprayse all other. ¶ And sayd he is ryght sure that feleth hym selfe withouten gylt & is in none surete that wyl not knowe his owne gylt. ¶ And sayd beware obeye not vnto couetyse for whan ye wold it wyl not obeye vnto you. ¶ And sayd he that gyueth good counseyll to other folkes begynneth to do prouffyt to hymselfe & was axed of y^e sayde hermes what it was that most leted & troubled man He answered Ire & enuye after they axed hym wher­fore the wyse man stode more atte gates of the ryche man than the ryche man atte gates of the wyse man And he answered y^e wyse man knoweth the prouffyt of the ryche / and the ryche knoweth not the prouffyt of the scyencyall wyse man. ¶ And sayd he that hath wytte and dyscrecyon & knoweth it not in dede resem­bled the treee that bereth no fruyte. ¶ And sayd he is wyse that knoweth ignoraunce & he that knoweth it not is ignoraunt and he that knoweth not hym selfe how sholde he knowe or deme another. And sayd ther be two manere of men / the one seketh and can not fynde the other fyndeth & can not profyte. ¶ And sayde sapyence is lyke a thȳge fallen in a water whiche can not be founde but by them that well serche and set it from the bottom. ¶ And sayd without chastyte a mā can not be very perfyghtly wyse & without wytte he may not be perfyght in scyence. ¶ And sayd discyplyne [Page] is the ornement of wytte / w^t the whiche euery mā oughte to enryche hymselfe. ¶ And sayde it is not ho­neste to chastyse a man afore all folkes rather a part.

¶ And sayd whan a man often excuseth hym selfe his knowen gylt it causeth his erroure the more to be re­membred. ¶ And sayde ignoraunt persone is but ly­tell all be it he be olde & the wyse is moche all be it he be yonge & the worlde dysprayseth now a dayes those that afore it was wonte to worshyp the erth wasteth & eteth them that afore it was wont to nourysshe & fede. ¶ And sayd the fole is knowen by his wordes and the wyse mā by his werkes. ¶ And sayd therbe fewe folkes enuyous of a dede man but therbe many that wyll lye vpon them. ¶ And sayde be mery & glad & it suffyseth to angre thenuyous man. ¶ And there was axed of y^e sayde Hermes why he maryed hym not he answered he that can not swȳme in these alone howe sholde he bere an other in his neck swȳmynge. ¶ And sayde kepe y^e oute of the cōpany of a Iangeler whiche resembleth to a thynge that semeth good a ferre and nygh it is ryght nought. ¶ And sayd he that wyll do euyll at thyn Instaūce ayenst an other ryght so wyll he at his Instaūce do ayenst y^e. ¶ And sayd he y^t wyll preyse the of vertues that ben not in the & thou reioy­ce it he may well alledge the vyces that he seth in the ¶ And sayd Iere troubleth reason and letteth al good werkes & furthereth all euyll. ¶ And sayd he that la­boureth in tha / that may not auayle leseth therfore y^t that myght profyte. ¶ And sayd y^e hurte and the trouble that is done caused by euyll people letteth y^e dysy­re and well of the good. ¶ And sayd whan thy frende erreth or mystaketh hym ayenst the yet as moche as [Page] thou may departe not from his amytye but assaye y^e meanes to redresse hym. ¶ And sayd wyse kynde and true is he that wyll lyghtly for gete the erroure of his frende. ¶ And sayd it is better chastyse thy selfe than lete other doo. ¶ And sayde the goodnesse that cometh of an ignoraunt man is lyke therbes that growe on a donge hyll. ¶ And sayd and euyll felawe is lyke a tree kyndeled wherof the one branche setteth the other a fyere. ¶ And sayde the noblest thynge that god hathe made in this worlde is a man / & the rychest thynge to hym is reason by the whiche he kepeth iustyce and escheweth synne. ¶ And sayde the fole wyll knowe in hymselfe no vyle thynge & the ignoraūt weneth lyghtly a thynge be other than it is & the suspecyous man maketh many doubtes of that y^e he knoweth. ¶ And sayde a ryght recōmēdable thynge in heuen & in erthe is a true tōge. ¶ And sayd a kynge or a prynce ought not to gyue lordshyppes nor auctorytes but to good & mercyable folkes / and therfore they sholde loue them as the fadre doth his chyldren. ¶ And sayde it sholde suffyse a man & ought to holde hym selfe recompensed whan his aduerse partye requyred of hym pardon & it was axed hym what was a lyberall thȳge he sayd to gyue syluer to vnknowen men for the loue of y^e kno­wen men & to forgyue them that haue noyed hym for the loue of them y^t haue holpen hym. ¶ And sayde the lyfe in this worlde is so shorte y^t ther ought none {con}cey­ue hate nor wyl harme to other. And sayd establysshe & ease thyn ire w^t thy pacyence thy ignoraūce w^t thy sa­pyence thy foryetfulnesse w^t thy remembraunce. And sayde it is a good sygne whan a chylde is shamafaste / sor it sheweth he shold haue wytte. And sayd it is wel [Page] done that thou do good whyle thou art in prosperyte for perauenture in aduersyte thy power shall lacke.

¶ And sayde he putteth hym in daūger that abydeth in prouynce where there is no lorde that wyll venge the iniuryes done therto where there is not iuste Iuge where there is no wyse leche / where there is none abundaunt market & where there is no rennyng wa­ter. ¶ And sayd it ap{per}teyneth to euery man with all his power to seke scyence & therwith to fortyyfe hym hauynge a good eye vpon his enemyes / and beware he be not reysed to hyghe in pryde by lordshyppe or o­ther rychesse his wyl his wordes & his dedys alwaye to be egall & so shall god loue hym and his successyon. ¶ And sayd there may none escape to be at the grete day of Iugement & his helpe shall be there by .iij. thȳges discrecyon / chastete / & good werkes. All thynges may be lefte saue good dedys. All thynges may be chaunged saue nature. All thynges may be redressed and reformed saue euyll dedys. All thynges may be eschewed saue deth & the sentence of our lorde. ¶ And sayde it is not meruayll trough he be good that is not couetous / but it were greate meruayll yf a couetous man were good. ¶ And sayd y^e erroure of a wyseman may be resembled to a crased shyppe whiche in drow­nynge her selfe drowneth many other. And sayd tru­ste is in maner of a bondeshyp & mystrust is a lyber­te. And the sayde Hermenes correctynge kynge Ha­mon gaue hym this precepte & charge loke that fyrst afore all thynges ye loue / drede & obeye our lorde god ¶ And sayd all men y^t haue domynacyon & lordshype vpon y^e people ought alwaye of necessyte to haue .iij. thynges in mynde. Fyrste to remēbre the people that [Page] be subgecte vnto hym. Secondely all be it that they be in his seruytude yet ought he to his power to kepe thē in fraunchese & lyberte & not in chraldom. Thyrdely how his lordshyp & power in this worlde may not longe endure. ¶ And fayde. O kynge hamon it beho­ueth the to kepe thy soule ryght wysely in wyll and worde & thou oughtest not to be slouthfull to y^e destru­ction of the mescreauntes but to constreyne them to obeye our lorde god & desyre not to haue ony rychesse without it be ryghtfully goten for thynge verely the people wyll alwaye obeye to them that do ryghtfully & well / & that wyll mayntene them & there may noo well be in a realme without it be habundaunt of peo­ple / for the decay of a realme is fawte of people and yf they withdrawe them the prynce is lefte lorde alone / & therfore remembre well thy dydes & eftsones thȳke on thy soule and putte in that garyson all y^t thou shalte haue nede of in the other worlde & yf it happen that y^u must goo in the werre in thyn owne persone / be ware well that thyn enemyes surpryse the not be slouthe­full soiournynge / & whan thou goost to batayle loke that fyrst thou solicite and exhorte thy people as cora­geously as thou can & loke that all thyn abylements of warre be redy & euery man set in his warde & ap­poynted how they shall fyght and set out. And bewa­re well that thou be not surprysed by thyn enemyes for lacke of watche & good especyall. Therfore multy­plye thy scowte watche & thȳ aspyes so y^t thou mayst alwaye knowe y^e guydynge of thyn enemyes / and lo­ke that thou be sure they deceyue the not. And whan thou shalt cōmaunde thy folkes to do ony thynge lo­ke secretly whether they haue obserued it after theyr [Page] charge or not whiche shall make them drede the more to offende the. ¶ And whan thou shalt commaumde ony lettres to thy clerke to be made sygne or seale thē not tyll thou haue ouerseen them for many haue ben deceyued therby. ¶ Ware thou be not to famylyare w^t them that thou knowest not vttre not the secretes of thy herte but to them y^t thou haste proued & knowest true vnto the gouerne the so wysely that thy kyngh­tes & the people may haue pleasure of the and gladde to be in thy company and delyte them to see the ryght­full & of good gouernaunce. Slepe no more than shall suffyse onely for the sustentacyon of thy body and the rest of thy herte and entremet not nor let thy werkes be but in ryghtwysnesse & trouth without dyssymulacyon & slouth nor delay not that thou must nedely exe­cute. Susteyne and loue also tho that be grete multy­plyers that is to saye the commones that labour the erth by tylthe & sowynge sedes vpon the same by the whiche the realmes and countres of the people be su­steyned the knyghthode multyplyed and the houses full of rychesse / wherfore suche thynges wyl be gret­ly kept & cherisshed and it behoueth onely to worshyp those that be good euery man after his dyscrecyon cō­dycyon & scyence to that entent that the people maye so knowe them & be bountenous to all those that seke scyences to corage them the more to lerne and entende to studye so that the realme or prouynce may be the better for theyr connynge. Besye thy selfe to punysshe malefactours & those that putteth the in daunger or trouble within thy realme or lordshyp make stryke of theyr hedes publykely that other may take exam­ple [Page] by them. A thefe lette his hande be stryken of to a robber of the hyghe waye let hym be hanged that y^e waye may be the surer. Brenne y^e sodomites and pu­nysshe the men take in fornycacyon after theyr estate and the women in lyke wyse. Ware the wordes of ly­ers and suche punysshe se y^e prysoners ones in a mo­ueth and delyure those that ought to be delyuered and gyue them of thyn almes. Punysshe incotynent tho­se that deserueth it / yet not so hastely but y^t they may haue leysyr of repentaunce and that other let hym be kept tyll thou knowe y^e throuth whether he be gylty or not beware also vse not thyn owne counseyll onely but be aduysed by men of age & discrecyon / and suche as ben expert in many thynges and whan thou shalt fynde one suche iuste and ryghtfull be counseyled by hym or elles reporte the to the moost holsome opyny­on of all thy coūseyllours & god shall helpe the. ¶ And sayd he is noble that vseth goodnesse and it is a grete goodnesse to vse Iustyce and chastyte and to gyue ly­berally or it be axed. ¶ And sayde whan a kynge or a prynce can nor wyll restrayne his euyll vyces & coue­tyse how sholde he repreue his seruauntes and whan he can not corrcte his propre seruauntes howe sholde he correcte and guyde all his people and specyaly tho­se that ben ferre from hym therfore it behoueth a kyn­ge or a prynce fyrste to be lorde ouer hym selfe and af­ter vpon other by ordre. ¶ And sayd a good kynge or a prynce sholde not be to full of suspeccyon for it wolde make men drawe frome hym. ¶ And also he ought not to haue ony of that dysposycyon in his house / and in especyall bachyters / tretryuers / or reporters [...] [Page] of tales for whanne there is dyuysyon or trouble in a kynges or in a prynces house lyghtly no good coūseylllours or seruauntes wyll abyde there.

TAc sayde he that can not refrayne his Ire hathe no power ouer his wytte. And sayd a wyse kynge or a prynce ought not to make com­parysons nor dyspute in­dyscrecyon with a greter & a myghtyer than he is ¶ And sayd whan a kyn­ge or a prynce hath cōque­red and ouercome his en­nemyes he ought to maȳ­tene them in Iustyce in good custumes & lybera­lyte & pacyence and so may he make of enemyes his frendes. ¶ And sayde a kynge or a prynce assembled one outrageous tresour & dyspysed it not as it apper­teyneth he shall lese both it & his realme. ¶ And sayde the people are to a kynge as the wynde to a grete fye­re for the more the wynde is the stronger is the fyere ¶ And sayd a kynge or a prynce ought to knowe tho­se that well & truely haue serued hym and establysshe those aboute hym selfe after trouth wytte & cōnynge & ought to gyue and be bounteuous vnto them after theyr merytes. And yf he gyue by wyl to noughty fol­ke that haue not deserued it It putteth awaye y^e cou­rage of his good seruaūtes to serue hym well ony len­ger / & so shall he be hastely soo full of noughty people [Page] that whan he wolde he can not be delyuered of them. ¶ And sayde it is conuenyent for a kynge or a prynce to lerne and knowe but not all for there is many thyn­ges that a kynge or a prynce ought not to knowe nor vnderstande.

ZAlquinus sayde y^e men receiue gret benefyces dayly of our creatoure all be it y^t they be synners. Than they be bounde to thanke hym for his graces and to aske hym pardon for theyr trespasses. ¶ And sayde many thynges seme right good that be full badde & after gretely blamed∴ ✚ And many thynges be dyspraysed in the begyn­nynge that after warde ben founden good and desyred. ¶ And sayde better it is to the to haue grete necessyte than to boroue of hym in whom thou haste no truste. ¶ And sayd yf thou la­bour to teche a fole the more shall folye encrece. ¶ And sayd I merueyll of those that absteyne them from metes noynge to the body & maketh none abstynence of synne. ¶ And sayde multyplye sylence for that auoy­deth perylles and vse trouth whiche dyscyplyne shall mayteyne the & thy werkes & he that wyll well kepe the fayth ought to lene to his frende of his good and to be gracyous to them that knoweth good and no denyer of Iustyce to his enemye / & to eschewe all thȳ­ges [Page] that thoucheth dysworthy.

OMer was an auncyent versifyer in gre­ce & of y^e gretest esta­te ther he was after Moy­ses. v.C.lx. yere he made many good thynges & all y^e vercyfyer of grece folowed his dyscyplyn / the whiche Omer by fortune was takē & enprysoned & put to be solde as a prysoner or a boūde man. And than one axed hȳ whens he was / he sayde of his father & of his mother. wyll thou that I shall beye the / & he answered why axed thou me counseyl whan thou wylt do w^t thy syluer. And they axed hym wherto he was good. he sayd to be delyuered and so abode longe in pryson & at the last they lete hym go. He was a man fayre formed & of large stature & lyued .C.viij. yere. And here after folowe his saynges. He is dyscrete that can refrane his tonge. ¶ And sayde he y^e wer­keth by counseyll gyueth hym selfe rest and lobour to other. ¶ And sayd it is a frendly lyuynge to dele with oute fraude & barat. ¶ And sayde accompanye the w^t good poeple & thou shalt be one of them accompenye the with badde and thou shalt be one of those. ¶ And sayde he is good & lyberall that applyeth hym to good werke and clene and that putteth them in execucyon or euer there come ony occasyon of empesshement∴

¶ And sayde the herte shyneth in vertue and is sure [Page] whan it is set in sapyence and fraude and barat is y^e fruyt of euyll thoughtes. ¶ And sayd the mouth she­weth ofte what the herte thynketh. ¶ And sayd y^e lo­ke sheweth somtyme the dysposycyon of the hert a fo­re the wordes ben spoken. ¶ And sayd it is a grete su­rete for a man to purueye by tyme in his causes.

¶ And sayde it is a merueyle of a man that may be in resemblaunce to god & enforceth hym selfe to be lyke to the beestes. ¶ And sayd be ware thou do ne take no thynge that thou ferest be to accused of. For yf thou do y^u shalte be the accuser of thy selfe. ¶ And sayd pay­ne thy selfe to wynne good condycyons & vertues for there by vyces & harmes shall be eschewed. And sayd there was somtyme a wyse man scaped out of a bro­ken and lost shyppe in to an Isle of the see & so beynge there a lone drewe a fygure of geometry vpon the sandes wherwith he was founde by certayn shypmen y^e brought hym to the kynge of that grounde tellynge hym that cas and auenture. And therfore the kynge sent thorough all his prouynces and charged them they sholde enforce them selfe to lerne and haue su­che connynge as sholde byde with them after theyr shyppe were lost that is to saye scyence and good werkes. ¶ And sayd a man bereth with hym two vesseles the one before and the other behynde. In that before be the erroures and vyces of other folke. And in that behynde be his owne vyces. ¶ And sayd to his sone / beware that thou be not couetous for yf thou be coue­tous thou shalte be poore. ¶ And sayde yf thou be pa­cyent thou shalte be praysed / and yf thou be proude thou shalte be blamed. ¶ And sayde a man is better [Page] than all other bestes of the erthe. ¶ And sayde sapien­ce is as to werke by scyence. ¶ And sayd knowledge is better than Ignoraunce. ¶ And sayde this worlde is one house of marchaūdyse some wȳne therin by theyr good dedys & some lese by theyr euyll gouernaunce.

¶ And sayde by grete dylygence some men atteyne to theyr purpose. ¶ And sayd he that hath grete myght & gouernaūce in this world ought to haue no grete reioyssynge / & he that hath none is dyspreysed. ¶ And sayd there is no wyckeder thynge than lyenge & there is no goodnesse in a lyer∴

SAlon was of Athe­nes and made many bokes of predycacyons and establysshed the lawes ther whiche was a C [...]te in those dayes fulfylled w^t wyse mē he made many v{er}ses techynge folkes to eschewe theyr {pro}pre wylles. And sayd whā thou wylt do ony thynge so lowe not thȳ owne wyl but seke counseyll and therby shall y^u knowe the trouth of the werke. I was asked hȳ what was the moost dyffyculte in a man he answered to knowe hymselfe to ke­pe his fraunchyse or lyberte to speke in places where he ought not to be angry w^t that he may not amende and to couete that that he maye not haue. ¶ And sayd the thynges of this worlde are establysshed by lawes & the lawes be sustyened by two thynges that [Page] god doth that god loueth / & he that doth the werkes that god loueth is to warde god & he that is to warde god is nyghe vnto hym. ¶ And sayde god is not wor­shypped by the sacryfices or by other oblacyons done vnto hym but onely by the wyll & acceptable ententes ¶ And sayd he that clatereth moche it is a sygne that he hath lytel knowledge ¶ And sayd at al tymes what someuer thou haue in thy remembraunce that god is by the & knoweth thy thoughtes & sete thy dedys And therfore by reason thou oughtest to be ashamed to do amysse. ¶ And sayd onely knoweth the wyse­man that dredeth hym and merueylle not though the people knoweth not the. ¶ And sayde god hath not in this worlde a more couenable place than in a clene and a pure soule. ¶ And sayd a man ought to speke of ho­nest & good thynges & elles harkyn to them that wyll talke therof. And sayd grudge & eschewe all ydle thynges as well of y^e as of other but in especyall of thy sel­fe. ¶ And sayde purchasse y^e goodes of this worlde in ryghtfull laudable & worshypfull manere & dyspende them in lyke wyse ¶ And sayd kepe thy pacyēce whā thou herest losynges & do tho dedys that no man may speke harme of & entende to the suretye of thy body / be attemperate at thy mete in thy drynke in lyenge with women & in all thyn other labour. ¶ And sayde enforce thy selfe to do so well that other men haue en­uye at the. ¶ And sayde dyspende not to outrageosly nor be not to scarse so that thou be not bounde to thy­tresour haue therin atterempaunce & mesure / whiche in all thynges is profytable. ¶ And sayde be wakȳg and herkynge to thy counseyll for thy nedys for yf thou sloughtit or slepe it myght cause the to be par­tener [Page] of thyn owne deth. ¶ And sayde medyll the not to do ony thynge y^t ought not to be done. ¶ And sayde he that is not cōtent can not ateyne to trouthe. ¶ And sayde he that hath no scyence ought to be dyspraysed. ¶ And sayd the Iuge that demeth not ryghtfully deserueth grete blame. Ware that thy tonge speke noo vylayne nor that thou gyue thȳ eres to here it. ¶ And sayd a man ought not tēforce hym selfe in this worlde to make pourchasses nor byldynges to serue other of­ter his deth but ought to peyne hym to wynne and to gete suche thynges as may proffyt hȳ after his deth ¶ And sayd it is better to a man to lye vpon ther har­de grounde beleuynge fermely in god than to lye in a bedde of gold puttynge doubtes in hym. ¶ And sayde lete thy marchaundyse be spyrytuell & not corporell & thencresse and wynnynge shall be good and durable. ¶ And sayd he that hath pyte vpon his owne soule fereth our lorde. ¶ And sayd whan thou wylt set vpon ony man thynke y^u woldest defende the yf thou were sette vpon. ¶ And sayde dyspose thy soule to receyue all good and couenable thynges. ¶ And sayde sette a syde the vanytes of this worlde for they lete and em­pesche thy reason. ¶ And sayde thou oughtest not to slepe ony nyght tyll thou hast remembred and consy­dered the dedes of the day past. And yf thou haue wel done be gladde and Ioyous therfore and thanke god therof. And yf thou hast erred and done a mysse repen­te the therof & aske forgeuenesse and pardon of god / & in thy selfe doynge thou mayst obteyne vnto his gra­ce. ¶ And sayde whan thou shalt begynne ony werke pray god of helpe to brynge it to a good conclusyon.

¶ And sayd yf thou haue haunted ony felowe & thou see his company is not couenable vnto the spare it & yet dele so that he be not after thyn ennemye & proue euery man by his dedes & not by his wordes for thou shalt fynde many of euyll werkes and good wordes. ¶ And sayd a man may not refrayne hym fro doynge amysse but whā trespasseth lette hym beware to fall ony more in that errour. ¶ And sayd wyne is enemye to the soule in takynge of it outrageousely / and lyke settynge fyre to fyre. ¶ And sayde a seruaūt ought to be obeyssaunt vnto his lord but not so absolutely that he lese therby all his lyberte & fraūchyse. ¶ And sayd it is more couenable for a man to suffre dethe than to put his soule in perpetuel derkenes. ¶ And sayd lette not to doo good dedys though they be not pleasaunt to y^e worlde. And dele alwaye so to thy pouer that thy soule may stande in good and noble stante what som­euer fall of thy body. ¶ And sayde a clene & pure soule hath no delyte in wordely thynges. ¶ And sayde go not the pathes that thou mayst gete hatered therby. ¶ And sayde thou oughtest to wynne frendes for the mayntenynge of thyn estate & do not tho thynge that thou couetest but that thou oughtest to do & take he­de whan thou shalte speke & whan y^u sholde holde thy pease. ¶ And sayde he defreyneth hym from couetyse that letteth not to spende his good for frendes∴

¶ And sayde put all couetyse from y^e & than shalt thou perceyue trouth. ¶ And sayd he is not very pacyēt y^t suffreth but as moche as he may but he is presently pacyent that suffreth ouer his power. ¶ And sayde ryght as a leche is not reputed nor taken for good nor [Page] connynge that heleth other and can not hele hym selfe ryght so is he no good gouernour that commaundeth other to eschewe vices & neyther can nor wyll leue thē hymselfe. ¶ And sayd the worlde varyeth now with the and now ayenst y^e. yf it be w^t the thynke to do well and yf it be ayenst the take it pacyently. ¶ And sayde many harmes cōme to bestes by cause they be dōme vnto men thorough theyr owne speche. ¶ And sayde harde it is to greue hym that can absteyne hym from foure thynges that is to wytte hastynesse wylfull frowardenesse / pryde & slouth. For hastenesse causeth re­pentaunce. Wylfull frowardenesse causeth losses pry­de causeth hattered. And slouth causeth dyspreysynge He sawe a man ryght nobly & ryche arrayed whiche had vyle & foule wordes to whom he sayd Other spe­ke after thȳ array or lete thyn array be after thy wor­des. The kynge than of Cecyle desyred hym to dwell with hym. To whome he sayde thy werkes & thy de­meanynges be contrary to thy profyt and thy offyce is not well exsecuted / for thou destroyest the founde­ment of thy fayth / wherfore I wyll not dwell with y^e for the physycyen is not sure / for amonges his pacy­entes he may take sekenesse. ¶ And sayd yf thou wyit that thy chyldren or seruaūtes do no fawtes thou de­syrest a thynge innaturall. ¶ And sayde the soule that is in the company of good people is in delectacyon and Ioye / & whā it is amonge euyll it is in sorow & heuynesse ¶ And sayd the wyse man thynketh on thy well of his soule as accentyuely as other attēde to the well of theyr bodyes. ¶ And sayde take frendshyp of them that thou seest folowe trouth & thynke or thou werke ¶ And sayd ryght as a physycyen can not hele his pa [Page] is to say by swerde & by banere. ¶ And sayd to his dyscyples beware that ye be no mokers for that engen­dreth hatered. ¶ And sayde the vertuous laudes of a man be not these y^t he gyued hymselfe but those that ben gyuen hym for his good werkes And it was axed hym who was leberall. He sayd he that vseth lybera­lyte not couetynge other mennes goodes. ¶ And sayd an euyll tonge was sharper than a glayue. A ryche man asked hym what were his goodes. he answered my tresor is suche that no man may haue it without my wyll & may not be amynisshe for no thynge that I gyue of it / but thou mayst departe with none of thyn without dimynuacyon. ¶ And sayd yf thou wylt the loue of thy frende shall abyde ferme vnto the be cur­toyse to hym & spare hym in his angre or errour. And sayde thou oughtest not to gyue a man gretter prey­synge in his presence thā he is worthy for be knoweth the trouth. And was axed hȳ how a man sholde wynne frendes. He answered in worshyppynge and seyen­ge good of them in theyr absence. ¶ And sayde a good soule hath neyther to grete Ioye nor to grete sorowe for she reioysed not but whan she seeth good thynges and none euyll and hath no sorowe but whan she seth the euyll thynges and none good. And whan she lo­keth on all the worlde she seeth the good & the euyll so­entermedled y^t she sholde not symply reioysse her selfe nor trouble her selfe angrely. ¶ And sayde a kynge y^t dooth ryght & iustyce shall reygne & gouerne well his people & he that dooth Iniustyce & vyolence seketh an other to reygne for hȳ. ¶ And sayd it behoueth a kyn­ge or a prynce fyrst to ordre & dresse hym selfe & after to dresse other or elles he shold he lyke hȳ y^t wolde dresse [Page] his shadowe afore hym selfe. & it was asked hȳ whan coūtres & townes were wel gouerned. he answered & sayd whan theyr prȳces rule them after theyr lawes.

SAbyon was a gre­te defēdoure of his neyghbours / and had cer­tayn frēdes whiche a kyn­ge wolde sle. and whan the sayd sabyō vnderstode it went with them in re­systēce of that sayd kynge whiche kynge assēbled so grete nombre of knyghtes ayenst hȳ y^t he was disconfyt taken and was cōmaūded to be put in ēgyne and tormēted without he wolde accuse them that were consentynge to make ware ayenst y^e kynge / whiche sabyon answered y^t for noo payne he wolde not tell that thynge y^t sholde noye his frendes. & in deed beynge in the engyne cut his tonge w^t his owne teth to thentent y^t he myght not accuse his felowes & frēdes. & y^e sayde sabyon lyued .xlviij. yere & here after foloweth of his sayneges to his dyscyples. ¶ And sayd yf ye lyse ony thynge say not ye haue lost it but say ye haue restored y^t was not youres. ¶ And sayd to one of his discyples multiplye thy frendes & y^t shal asswage thy care And sayd a wyse mā ought to be ware how he weddeth a fayre womā for euery man wyll desyre to haue her loue & so they wyll seke theyr pleasurs to y^e hurt & dys­pleasure of her husbande. ¶ And sayde delectacyon in rychesse is a daungerous vyce. & there came one of his [Page] seruauntes vnto hym on a tyme & tolde hym y^t his sone was deed / & he answered y^t he knew wel y^t he was mortall & not inmortall / & a man ought not to drede y^e deth of y^e body but the deth of y^e soule. One axed why he sayde so considerynge that he helde the opinyon y^t a resonable soule myght not dye / he answered whan a resonable soule is conuerted to the nature of a beest w^t out vse of reason all be it y^t it be substaunce incorrupti­ble yet is she reputed for deed for she leseth the intelle­ctyf lyfe. He founde a yonge poore man syttynge vpon the see syde wepynge for y^e aduersites of this world to whom he sayde dyspayre the not for yf y^u werew^t grete rychesse in the myddell of yonder see in grete danuger of thy body & of thy goodes y^u wold wysshe ryght hertly to be here w^t onely thy lelfe saued / also & yf y^u were prysoner & y^e kepers wold sle the & take fro y^e all y^t euer y^u haddest y^u woldest be glad to haue onely the delyue­raūce

of thy body / the yon­ge man answered y^t he told hym trouth well than sayd sabyon vnto hym now thȳ­ke thā that y^u hast ben in all these daungers & hast esca­ped them & arte now at thy free lyberte therfore holde the content w^t the state that thou now standest in / & soo y^e yonge man departed gre­tely recomforted.

yPocras was dyscy­ple to esculapius the seconde whiche de­stended [Page] of blode royall / & he was the fyrste fynder of the art of physyke whiche he shewed & taught to his chyldren & commaunded it sholde not be lerned to ony straungers but onely from the fader to the sone & soo the sayd scyence to rest in them & commaunded y^t they sholde dwell in the myddell habitacyon of grece in .iij. yle / & ypocras rested in the yle of Thau / and in the .ii. other Isles y^e studye was lost in his dayes. The opy­nyon of the fyrst Esculapius was that physyke sholde be vsed onely by experyence for it was neuer founden but onely therby. And so was it vsed .M.cccc. yere af­ter that tyll an other physyen called Methyous whose opinyon was that experyence without reason was a daungerous thynge & so they vsed these two opyny­ons .vij.C. yere tyll an other phisycyen came called Bramades / whiche dyspraysed y^e experyence sayenge y^t to many errours grewe therby & that in occupynge phisyke a man ought to vse reason onely not withstā­dynge he had .iij. discyples whiche helde after hȳ .iij. dyuers opynyons. The one vsed experyence onyly the other reason onely. y^e thyrde subtyll craftes & enchaū­temētes. And so these .iij. weyes were vsed .vij.C. yere tyll that Plato came whiche taught dylygently the sayenges of his predecessours in his scyence & shewed that experyence onely was daūgerous & reason one­ly coude not be suffycyent / & toke the bokes as well of subtyll crafte & enchauntement as those of onely rea­son & brent them all but those that were of reason and experyence to gyder he reteyned & kept them & {con}maū­ded that they sholde be vsed & after his dethe he lefte the crafte to .v. of his discyples. The fyrst to ordyene physyke to the body. The .ii. to boxe and to lette blode [Page] The .iij. to hele woundes. The .iiij. to hele seke eyen. The .v. to kyntte & hele broken bones / and after this came Esculapius the .ii. whiche taught dilygently the dyuerse opynyons / and in especyall those of Plato / whiche he vsed and toke for moost true and resonable And he lefte after hym thre dyscyples that is to saye / ypocras & .ij. other whiche dyed & rested that scyen­ce & craft onely in hym than rested ypocras alone per­fyght in vertues in his dayes vsynge reason. ¶ The whiche ypocras seynge the crafte of physike in waye of {per}dicyon bycause all his felowes were dede / & that he was lefte onely in the yle of Than thought that he wolde for the moost profyt that the cratf therof we­re shewed & taught not onely to his chyldren & kȳnes­men / but generally to all that were apte to lerne it and dampned in that scyence dyuers thynges & added to certayn compylacyons in breue wordes. And cōmaū­ded his two sones that were maysters of scyences y^t they sholde shewe it generally for he sayd it was mo­re couenable that it sholde be taught straungers able and apte to the lore than to his owne kynnesmen not disposed to lerne and as he ordeyned it was done & is vsed to this daye & in his lyfe he shewed it to dyuers straungers & made them expert therin takynge pro­mysse of them to teche it further. It happed y^t a kyn­ke of Perse called Defour sent vnto y^e kynge of thysle of thau called pylate prayeng hym to sende hym ypo­cras & he wolde gyue hym .C. kyntalles yf golde / and than was y^e lande of grece deuyded in many kyngdōs of y^e whiche sōme gaue truage to the kynge of Perse And so dyd that of thau / the whiche bad ypocras go to y^t sayd kynge of perse for to hele certayn pestylences [Page] that were than in his reame saynge yf he went not it myght be to grete daunger to the yle seyenge y^e sayde Pylate was not of power to resyste the sayd kynge of perse. The whiche ypocras answered that he wolde neuer go to hele the enemyes of grece. Also thenhabytaunces of the townes where he dwell in / sayde they had leuer deye than ypocras sholde departe fro them The sayd ypocras was .C.xlvj. yere after nabugodo­nosor he made dyuers bokes of physyke of y^e wihche xxx. he had & of those .xii. y^e moost be studyed by ordre Other bokes be also had of galyens makynge y^e sayd ypocras was of lytell statute grete heed croke backe moche studyenge and of a lytell langage & moche lo­kynge downe to the erthe holdynge in his hande a fla­botomye of munycyon for lettynge bloode / or a grene braunche profytable to the eyen / he lyued foure score vi. yeres wherof he employed .xvii. in studye / & the remenaunt in exercysynge of conynges. And here folo­weth dyuerse of his saynges. Pouertye in surete is better than rychesse in fere. ¶ And sayde y^t the lyfe is thought short the peyne is thought longe experyence harde to come by & iugement daūgerous. ¶ And sayd the helth is not to be slouthfull in good exercyses & not to fyl his body wyth wynes & metes ¶ And sayd it is better to amynysshe y^t hurteth than to encrease y^t hel­heth. ¶ And sayd y^e hert is tourmented by .ii. passyōs y^t is to saye with sorowe & thought of sorowe cometh the dremes & the fantasyes & of thought cometh the wakynges & vnrestes & sorowe is a passyon of thyn­ges past & thought is fere of thynges to come. ¶ And sayde y^t soule is lost that setteth his entent on wordely thynges y^t is to say in couetyse. ¶ And sayde he that [Page] wyll the lyfe of his soule lette hym mortyfye it & gyue it payne in this world. ¶ And sayd there may wel be loue bytwyne .ii. wysmen / but not bytwene .ii. foles all be it that theyr foolyes be egall / for wytte goth by ordre and may concorde in one sentence but in folye is no due ordynaunce & therfore may they neuer cōcorde in loue. ¶ And sayde a man ought not to swere but it is so or it is not so. ¶ And sayde hold you content with that / that ought suffyse you. & so ye shall not haue no grudgynge the lesse grudge ye haue the more ye fle fro malyce & wyckednesse withdrawe you also fro synne & seke thende of vertues and goodnes. ¶ And sayd he that wyl be fre lete hym not coueyte that thynge that he may not haue for and he do he is bounde therto and therfore yf thou wylt haue that y^u desyrest desyre that thou mayest haue. It was asked of hym a questyon of euyll & vyle thynges. To the whiche he answered no thynge. They asked hym wherfore he spake not.

He sayde that scylence was y^e answere of suche questyons. ¶ And sayd this worlde is to no creature perpe­tuall therfore then lette none dyfferre or delay to doo good thynges as longe as he may & namely that / y^t he sholde wynne good renōmee therby. ¶ And sayde he that knoweth not trouth is rather lyke not to doo it than he that is enfourmed & taught therto. ¶ And sayd scyence is lyke a rote of a tre and operacyō is lyke the braunches & syence is lyke a thynge engendryng. And operacyon is lyke a thynge engendred. ¶ And sayde take a lytell of scyence at ones so that thou may ste kepe it and lerne more. For yf thou wylte take mo­re at ones than they wytte may suffyse thou mayest lyghtly forgete all.

PYtagoras sayde y^e it is a ryght bles­sed and a noble thynge to serue god & to sauntefye his saynctes to dyspreyse the worlde to vse Iusty­ce & of all vertues moost princypall is to absteyne hym from synne. And it is good to vse fastynges & studyes & to make hym to be beloued & it is good to haue scyence to vnder­stande the trouth of thȳ­ges / and to lerne it to the men & shewe it to the women he ordeyned also predy­cacyons & to polysshe & enorne y^e speche. ¶ And sayde y^e soule is {per}petuall & couenable to receyue merytes & peynes he moderated soo his mete & his drynke y^e he was at no tyme fatter nor lener than other he was a subtyll man & loued as well to do good to his frendes as to hym selfe / sayenge y^e goodes of frendes ought to be comyn. He made .CC.lxxx. volumes of bookes / and was borne in y^e coūtre of Samye. ¶ And sayd an harme not durable is better than a welthe not abydynge & that was wretē both in his seale & ī his gyrdel. And sayd as y^e begynnynge of our creacyon cometh of god ryght so it is behoueful y^t at our ende our soule retour­ne to hȳ. ¶ And sayd yf y^u wylt knowe god enforce not thy selfe to know y^e worldely people. ¶ And sayd a wyse man reputeth not y^e worshyp of god in wordes but in dedes. And sayd sapiēce is to loue god & he y^e loueth [Page] cyent without he tell hym the trouth of his dysease ryght so may not a man be well coūseyled of his fren­de w^tout he tell hym the playnesse of his cause. ¶ And sayde many enemytes grouwen for faulte of trust be­twyx partyes & trust causeth often many harmes.

And whan pytagoras sat in his chayre he vsed in she wynge his doctrynes to say. Mesure your pathes & go the ryght waye & so shall ye go surely. Attempre you from couetyse and your good estate shall dure / vse Iustyce & ye shall be beloued & dredde / kepe not your body in grete delectacyons for and ye so doo ye shall not consusteyne the aduersytes that myght fall vnto you. And he sawe an olde man that was shamefast to lerne to whom he sayde. Scyence is better in age than in youth. ¶ And sayd yf thou wylt dyspreyse hȳ that thou hatest shewe not that thou art his enmye. ¶ And sayde a good kynge or prynce ought to thynke dylygentely to the state and guydyn of his lande / and ought to ouerse it as often as a good gardyner dothe his garden. ¶ And sayde it behoueth a kynge to gyue example hym selfe to kepe his lawes and se that his next kynnesmen and frendes do so after hym & it ap­parteyneth not to a kynge to be proude nor to do after his owne wyll onely nor to ryde couertely / nor in no derke nyght but gladely shewe hym selfe open faced amonge his people and subiectes and conuenyently be conuersaunt amonge them without ouermoche famylyaryte. And whan a kynge or a prynce shall go to his reste / that he se there be good watche / and yf they fayle therin that he punysshe them well and to beware to ete the mete that a ialous woman gyueth hym or ony other suspecte persone. ¶ And sayd y^e well [Page] disposed man remēbreth but his synnes. And y^e euyll disposed hathe mynde but on his vertues. It fortu­ned his wyfe was decessed in a ferre countre & some axed hym yf there were ony dyfference to dye in theyr propre lande elles ferre frome thens. He answered whersomeuer one dye the waye to the other world is all lyke. ¶ And sayde to ayonge man that wolde not lerne in his yought / yf thou wyl not take payne to lerne thou shalt haue payne to be lewde & vnconnynge. ¶ And sayd god loueth those that be dysobeysaunt to euyll temptacyon. ¶ And sayde good prayer is one of the best thynges that a man may present to god / yf y^u axe hym ony bone lette thy werkes be agreable vn­to hym∴

DYogenes other wy­se called dogly by­cause he had some cōdicyōs of a dogge & he was the wysest man that was in his dayes. He dispraysed gretely the worlde and laye in a tōne whiche he tourned for his auantage from the sonne and the wynde as it pleased hym / & therin he rested where someuer the nyght fyll vpon hym he ete whan someuer he was hungred / were it by daye or by nyght in the strete or elles where without ony shame therof and was content with two gownes of wollen cloth in [Page] the yere and so he lyued and gouerned hymselfe tyll his deth. Some asked hym why he was called dogly he sayde by cause I barke vpon the fooles and fawne vpon the wysemen. Alexandre the grete came vnto hym of whom he toke lytell regarde. He axed hȳ why he set so lytell by hym sayēge that he was so myghty a kynge and hadde no necessyte. He answered I haue nought to do nor set by hym that is bonde man to my thrall. Why sayd Alexandre am I so than. ye sayd dyogenes for I am lorde and maystre to all couetyse and holde her vnder my fete as my thrall and couetyse is thy maystresse and thou arte bounde vnto her and so art thou bounde to my thrall. Than sayd Alexander yf thou wylt axe me ony thynge of his worlde I wyll gyue it the. Dyogenes answered why shulde I aske the ony thynge whyles I am rycher than thou art for that lytell that I haue contenteth me better than all the grete quantyte y^t thou hast satisfyeth the. I praye the stande out of my lyght and take not frome me that that thou mayest not gyue me. well sayd Alexander who shall bery the whan thou art deed / he that wyll not suffre the stenche of my caryen aboue the erthe.

¶ And the sayde Dyogenes sayd he is not parfytely good that doth but onely absteyne hym from euyll de­dys. He sawe a yonge man of good and vertuouse dis­posycyon whiche was euyl visaged to whom he sayd the goodnes and vertues that be in the gyue beaute in the face / & som asked hym whan it was tyme a mā to ete / he sayde whan he had appetyte & mete & yf he had none whan he myght gete it. And sayd it is good a mā kepe hym from the gyle of his ennemye and the [Page] euyll of his frende. ¶ And sayde ryght as a man ape­reth greter in a myst than in a clere wedder ryght so appereth more his vyce in his Ire than in his pacyence. ¶ And sayd to Alexandre thynke not thou arte the more worthy for thy beaute tresour and ryche araye but onely for thy lyberalyte & goodnesse. ¶ And sayde whan thou dispraysest a vyce in an other man loke y^t thou vse it not thy selfe. ¶ And sayde whan thou seest a dogge leue his mayster and folowe the dryue hym awaye for ryght so wyll he leue the to go to a nother.

He sawe a man that prayed god gyue hym sapyence to whom he sayde thy petycyon auayleth not without but fyrst thou payne thy selfe to lerne it. ¶ And sayde of all vertues of humanyte the gretter quantyte therof is the better saue of wordes. ¶ And sayde it is not honest to gyue prasynge to a man of a thynge that he hath not deserued. ¶ He sawe a peyntour that was waxen a phisycyen to whom he sayd / thou knowest y^t men myght se at the eye the fautes that thou dydest in chy crafte but now they may not be parceyued for they are hydde vnther the erthe. And he sawe ryght a fayre persone whiche was a foole / and than he sayd there is a fayre house & ryght and euyll honeste herborowed therin. He sawe a also foole sytte in a wyndowe and he sayde there sytteth a stone vpon a stone. One asked hym what was loue he sayd it was a sekenesse that grew of Idelnesse & for lacke of vertuouse exerci­se. One asked hym what was rychesse he sayd absteynynge fro couetyse. The sayd dyogenes was in a sea­son feke and his frendes came to visyte hym sayenge dowte you not for your sekenesse come but of goddes wyll he answered therfore am I the more aferde. He [Page] sawe an olde man that dyed his heyres to whome he sayde y^u mayst well hyde thy with heres but not thyn age. ¶ And sayd it is more behouefull y^u go to y^e leche than the leche to the & semblably I say it of the leche of the soule. ¶ And sayde yf y^u wylte correcte ony man shewe it not by vyolence but as the surgyen doth to y^e seke that is to saye souftely and pacyently but & thou wylt correcte thy selfe dyspose the as y^e hurt mā doth to y^e leche. It was asked hym how a man myght ke­pe hym from Ire he answered a man ought alwaye to haue in remēbraunce y^t he can not all tymes be ser­ued / but somtyme shall be fayn to do seruyce and also he shall not be alway obeyde but at somtyme he must obeyde / and therfore he shall not atte all tymes be suf­fered in his wyll but that attesomtyme he must suf­fre hauynge this in his mynde it sholde appease his Ire. And there came a gester a fore Alexander syttyng at his dyner whiche praysed hym outrageously & dy­uerse herkened gretly therto the sayde Dyogenes be­gan to ete faster than before some asked hym why he herkened not the fayre sayenges of the gester / he an­swered I do more profytable than to herkene lesyn­ger what is suche praysinge worth whan he is neuer the better therfore. ¶ And sayde yf thou talke with a straunger speke not to moche tyll thou haue fyrst ma­de comparyson by twene connynge of his scyence and thyn and yf thou fynde thyn better that his speke the blodelyer and ellys holde thy paese and lerne at hym Dyuers delycyous persones blamed hym of his ma­ner of lyuynge and he sayde it lyeth well in my pouer yf me lyst to lyue after your guyse but it is not in your pouer to lyue after my maner. And it was tolde hym [Page] that certayn {per}sones had sayd euyll of hym in his ab­sence / he answered it shall not hurt me though a man stryke at me & touche me not. ¶ And sayd it is a chur­lysshe condycyon to answere dyshonestly & a noble con­dycyon to answere pacyently. ¶ And sayd there is no gretter tresour than dyscrecyon and wytte nor gretter pouerte than Ignoraūce nor better frendesshyp than good condycyons / nor better guyder than is good for­tune. ¶ And sayde sekenesse is the pryson of the body & sorowe is the pryson of the soule. There was a man of grete byrthe that rebuked hym to whom he sayde my blood & lygnage is enchaunsed by me and thyn is hurt and lowed by the. The sayde Diogenes was of lytell speche / & one asked hym why he spake no more he answered there was grete v{er}tues in a mānes eres There was a man sayd hym grete vylanye to whom he sayd noo worde / one asked hym why he answered not. He sayde I coude hym do noo greter dysworshyp than he doth hymselfe for he hath contrybued blamed vnto hym that hath not deserued it. One asked hym how he sholde trouble his enymyes he answereth en force thy selfe to be vertuous and good. And yf thou wolt that thy goodnes appered grete vnto straūgers repute to them thy selfe lytell. ¶ And sayd yf thou gyue power to thy wyfe onely to trede vpon thy fote on the morowe she wolde trede vpon thy hede. And sayd cōpany of women is an harme that can not be esche­wed. ¶ And sayde he that doth good for the goodnes of it onely ought not to drede before whome he dothe / nor for the praysynge ne blame therof. One asked hym whan he sholde knowe his frende. He sayd in ne­cessyte. For in prosperyte euery man is frendely ther [Page] was another man sayd vylanye vnto hym where at he toke none angre. It was asked hym why he was so pacyent he answered other he sayd soth or lyed / yf he haue sayd trouth Iought not to be angry and yet lesse yf he haue lyed. He sawe a man clatre so moche y^t ther coude no body make hym hold his paes to whom he sayd frende thou hast two eres and but one tonge.

Wherfore thou oughtest to herke double as moche as you spekest. He sawe a fayre yonge man the whiche dyde grete dylygence to lerne to whom he sayde ye do passynge well to make youre dedys resemble youre beatute∴

SOcrates in gre­kes tonge is to say keper of Iustyce. he was maryed ayenst the custu­me of that coūtre whiche was that good and ver­tuous people shoulde be wedded to gyder to then­tent that theyr lygnage myght gete better / but he wedded the worst wo­man that was in all the lande & had .iii. chyldren by her. He loued and wor­shypped sapyence so mo­che y^t it was a grete hynderaūce to all his successours for he wold not suffre his scyence to be wryten. ¶ And sayd that scyence was pure & clene wherfore it was couenable she sholde be onely sette in mynde & corage & not in skynnes of deed beestes nor in no suche corrupte [Page] [...] [Page] [...] [Page] [...] [Page] [...] [Page] [...] [Page] [...] [Page] thynge & therfore he made no bokes nor gaue no doc­tryne to his dyscyples but onely by wordes of dyscy­plyne. And that opynyon he helde of Tunyo whiche was his mayster for as the sayd Socrates beynge of tendre age / asked his mayster / why wyll ye not suffre me to wryte y^e doctrynes that ye teche me. Tunyo an­swered hym couetest thou more y^t wyld beestes skyn­nes to be worshypped with sapyence / than thengyne of a man. I sette the case that one mete the in y^t wyld feld & aske the coūseyle vpon a questyon wete it good that thou sholdest say / lette me go home and ouer see my bokes fyrst it were more honest to haue recours to thy remembraunce & ther vpon & brefly to determy­ne. It were so certamely sayde Socrates, well than reteyne it well in thyn mynde that thou shalt lerne / & put it not in the booke / in whiche opynyon the sayd socrates rested / he defended that noo man sholde wor­shyppe false ydoles but wolde that all honour & wor­shyp sholde be referred to the creatur of all thynges and for that opynyon he was condempned to deth by xij. Iuges of Athenes whiche ordeyned that he shold drynke certayn poysons wherof the kynge of y^t coun­tre was sory but he coude not reuoke the sencente he gaue hym as longe respyte of his Iug [...]ment as he coude. ¶ The sayd kynge had a shyp charge w^t thynges that in certayn tymes sholde be offred in the tem­ple to the Idoles he had a custume that he wolde gy­ue no Iugement and especyally vpon mannes dethe tyll y^e sayd shyppe were retorned to Athenes whiche was not yet come home. And vpon there commȳge home one of Socrates felawes called Inclytes told hȳ in the pryson y^t the sayd shyp sholde come to the porte [Page] on the morowe or the nexte daye. wherfore he sayde it were good that we sholde gyue .CCCC. peces of golde to the kepers that they wolde lette the secretely esca­pe and than myghtyest thou go to Rome & nedest ly­tell to drede them of Athenes he answered all that I haue is not worthe .CCCC. peces of golde no sayde in clyte I & thy frendes haue so moche whiche we wyll gladdely gyue thy kepers to saue thy lyfe yf it please the / to y^e whiche Socrates answered this cyte wher­in I must suffre deth is y^e naturall place of my byrth wherin I must dye without desyrynge onely bycause that I repreue them for doynge I muste dedes / & for worshyppynge the false and vayne ydoles and that I wolde haue them honoure the true god wherfore I say yf these men of my nacyon persecute me for susteynynge and sayenge trouth ryght so wyll straungers do whersomeuer I become for I wyll neuer spare to say trouth nor vse no lesynges & certaynly those wol­de haue lesse mercy of me thenne those of this towne wherin I am borne It happened that y^e thyrde daye his dyscyples came vnto hym & foūde hym in pryson by the cōmaundemet of the .xii. Iūges they axed hȳ many doubtable questyōs thouchynge y^e soule he an­swered them as largely & as gladly as euer he dyde / wherof they merueylled to vse soo greate constaunce in a man so nyghe his deth one of his dyscyples called demon sayd Mayster I know well it is an harde thȳge to the for to shewe and teche vs in y^e cas that thou now standest in and lackynge of thy lore is to vs a da­mageous thynge for in this world hast thou no felow of good doctryne. Socrates answered spare not to enquyre of me what it pleaseth you / for it is to me a [Page] grete pleasure. They axed hym questyons of the sou­le whiche he answered. And after they axed hym of y^e state of the worlde and composycyon of the elementes whiche also he answered ryght perfoūdely / & he sayd vnto them I trowe the houre of my deth approcheth nygh I wyl bayne me & make me clene in this world and saye myn orysons to thentent that I shal haue no payne after my deth / wherfore I praye you spare me for a whyle he entred in to a hous / & baygned hym & sayd his orysons / & thā called his wyf & his chyldren & gaue them many fayre doctrynes / & bad them pay­ne them for to do good & adresse theyr soules to hym that all created / & than came one frome the Iuges to hym w^t poyson to drynke & sayde. O Socrates thyn­ke not that I am he y^t maketh y^e to deye / for I knowe thou arte the best man y^t euer came in this lande but I am sent frome the Iuges for to sle the & here is the confeccyon that thou must drynke take it pacyētly sy­then thou mayst not scape it. Socrates sayd I take it with good herte & knowe well thou art not gylty therof & so dranke it. And whan his frendes saw that they made grete wepynge & lamentacyon wherof he bla­med them saynge I haue sent awaye the women bycause they sholde not do as ye do. He wente a lytell fro them & sayd. O god haue mercy vpon me and anone his synewes shranke his fete wexed colde / & than he leyde hym downe / one of his dyscyples toke a bodde­kyn and prycked hym in his feete and axed hym yf he felte ony thynge / and he sayde naye / than he prycked hym in his thyghes & axed hym yf he felt it he sayde naye. Anone the colde strake vp vnto his sydes than Socrates sayde whan the colde cometh vnto my hert [Page] I must nedys dye. Than sayd Inclites O dere may­ster well of sapyence & of scyence correct and theche vs yet whyle the speche lasteth. to whom he sayde I can none other wyse shewe you now dyenge than I haue done afore in my lyfe. The sayd Inclites sayd syr cō­maunde me what thynge ye wyll. He answered noothynge and lefte vp his eyen to the sky sayenge I pre­sent my soule to the maker of all the worlde & so dyed. The sayd Socrates had .xii. M. discyples and dyscy­ples of disciples. And in his lyfe he deuysed that men sholde be guyded after .iij. ordres that is to say in cler­gye in knyghthode and cōmunes / & ordeyned the cler­gyd aboue the knyghthode / the knyghthode aboue y^e people & that the clergye sholde praye for the knyghthode and the people and the knyghthode sholde defen­de the clergye. And the people to labour for the cler­gye and the knyghthode. The sayde Socrates was of reed colour and of competent stature hore heded and well faced / demure of speche / a grete studyer / & loker vpon the erth. And whan he spake he wagged his ly­tyll fȳger / he lyued four score & .ii. yeres / & was wrytē in his seale pacyence and good byleue in god maketh a man victoryus and was wryten in his gyrdell ha­uynge respecte and consyderacyon to thende of euery thynge causeth the saluacyon of the soule & of the bo­dy he establysshed lawes whiche were sent in to the Eest west South & north & al was gouerned by them ¶ And sayd y^e fyrst thynge y^t thou sholde fyxe thy wyl in is to kepe dyuine Iustyce & to applye thy wyll to y^e same and not to do sacryfyces nor noo iniust thynges nor to swere noo false othes. ¶ And sayde ryght as a [Page] man is heled of his sekenesse by vertue of a medycy­ne ryght so is an euyll man heled of his malyce by vertue of the lawe. ¶ And sayde to his discyples I am a tylman and vertues ben the sedes & study is the wa­ter that moysteth them / wherfore yf the sedes be not clene nor y^e water suffycyent what someuer be sowen profyteth lytell. ¶ And sayde one ought to merueylle at hym that forgeteth the perpetuall goodnesse of the other worlde / for the goodes of this worlde be not du­rable. ¶ And sayd the well disposed soule loueth to do well / and the euyll dysposed soule loueth to do harme. ¶ And sayde the good soule graffeth goodenesse and the fruyt therof is saluacyon / and the euyll dysposed graffeth vyces and the fruyte therof is dampnacyon ¶ And sayde the good soule is knowen by that she re­ceyueth gladly trouth & the euyll soule by that she re­ceyueth gladly lesynges. ¶ And sayd that whā a per­sone doubteth in doubtefull thynges & is stedefaste in those that ben open & euydent to the eye / & it is sygne that he is of good vnderstandeynge. ¶ And sayd that the soules of them that ben good ben forowfull of the werkes of them that ben euyll. ¶ And sayde the man that foloweth couetyse leseth hym selfe endelesly & at the last is all dyshonoured / and who that hates it ge­teth ynough and at the ende is ryght well worshyp­ped. ¶ And sayd that the good soule saueth hym selfe & other ben saued by hym. ¶ And sayde the soule kno­weth all thynges and than he that knoweth his soule knoweth euery thyng & he that knoweth not his sou­le knoweth no thȳge. ¶ And sayd he that is keytyf to hym selfe he is more keytyf to an other & he that is ly­berall to hym selfe is comonely lyberall to an other∴

¶ And sayd lytell techynge suffyseth to the good sou­le & to the euyll soule moche techynge may not auay­le. ¶ And sayd that .vi. manere of men be that neuer be out of angre that is to wytte / the fyrst is he y^t may not forgete his trouble / the .ii. an enuyous man that dwelleth w^t folkes newly enryched / the .iij. he y^t dwel­leth in a place where an other hath thryuen & he can no profyt there / the .iiij. a ryche man fallen in pouer­tye / the .v. he that enforceth hymselfe to come to the state that is not bylongynge to hym to haue / & the .vi. he that hath dwelled with a wyseman & hath nothȳge lerned of hym. ¶ And sayd who so payneth hym selfe to shewe doctryne to a man of euyll courage resem­bleth to hym y^t wyll mayster a stronge hors whiche / yf he gyue hym not a stronge bytte with corbe he shall neuer gouerne hym. ¶ And sayd to moche haūtȳge felysshyp engendreth not greate loue bytwne them & absteynynge from them causeth enemytes and thā it is best to dele therin moderately. ¶ And sayd he y^t doth good is better than y^e good & he that dothe euyll is wors than the euyl. And sayd scyence is had by dy­lygence of men but dysrrecyon cometh of god. ¶ And sayd wysdome is the leche of the lawe & moneye is y^e sekenesse / & whā the leche may not hel hym selfe how sholde he hele an other. ¶ And sayd thou mayst not be {per}fectely good yf thou hatest thyn ennemy what shalt thou be than yf y^u hatest thy frende. ¶ And sayd this worlde may be lykened to a way full of thystelles in a manere hydde where a man is prycked that entreth in it / & yf he aspye them he wyll beware of it. ¶ And sayd he that loueth the worlde hath but labour & he y^e hateth it hath rest. ¶ And sayd he is ryght symple y^t [Page] is certayn to departe from this worlde & besyeth hym to make in it his byldynges. ¶ And sayd this worlde is lyke a lyght brennynge fyre wherof a lytell is good for to kyndell his lyght and to shewe hym the waye / and he that taketh to moche therof may lyghtly bren hym selfe with all. ¶ And sayd he that setteth all his mynde in this worlde leseth his soule / & he that then­keth on his soule hateth this worlde. ¶ And sayde he that loueth this worlde may not fayle to fall in one of these .ii. inconuenyentes or both that is to saye other to dysplease our lorde god or ellys to be enuyed at of myghtyer men than he is. ¶ And sayd a mā y^t seketh to haue enemyes seketh his destruccyon & he y^t hath many enuyers and enemyes is in daunger of euyll fortune. ¶ And sayde this worlde is but a passage in the other worlde / & therfore he that purueyeth hym of thynges necessarye for that passage is the surer for all perylles. ¶ And sayde trouble not thy selfe gretely w^t wordely acquysycyons / but resemble the byrddes of the skye / whiche in the mornynge seke but thyr refec­cyon for y^e daye & semblably the walde bestes y^t come out of the monteynes for to seke theyr fode & at nyght repeyre home agayn. ¶ And sayd y^e errour is knowen in the ende to be euyll / & that y^t is good is y^e more cler­ly seen after therby. Plato toke vpon hym to goo in vyage & desyred to knowe of Socrates how he sholde gouerne hym selfe therin. And he sayd doubte of tho­se y^t thou knowest and beware of these that y^u knowes not & go not by nyght ete none herbes that y^u knowest not / & loke that y^u kepe the hygh waye thought it be y^e lenger / entende not to chastyse hym that is out of all reason for thou shalt make hym therby thyn enemy. [Page] ¶ And sayd lye not with a woman without necessyte constrayne the. ¶ And sayd tow thynges be laudable that is for to say lawe & sapience / lawe kepeth ryght wysnesse sapyence causeth good condycyon. Socra­tes accompayned hym selfe w^t a ryche man and they met thyues in an hyghe waye / the ryche man sayd it were daungerous to me yf they knewe me / & Socra­tes sayd it were better for me yf I were knowen by them. ¶ And sayd a wyseman ough to vse his dayes in one of these two maners that is to saye in that that may cause hym to haue Ioye in this worlde & in the other or in that that may cause hym to haue good na­me in this worlde. ¶ And sayd this worlde is delecta­cyon of an houre & sorow of many dayes / & the other worlde is grete rest & longe ioye. ¶ And sayd who so­meuer teche the one worlde of sapyence doth the more good than yf he gaue y^t of his golde. ¶ And sayd swe­re not by our lorde for no maner of lucre all be it thy cause be true / for some wyll thynke y^u for swerest thy selfe. ¶ And sayd take hede how thou gyuest thy gyf­tes / for some symple folkes gyue to the vnnedy and re­fuse it to those that haue nede. ¶ And sayd yf y^u wylte wynne a frende speke good of hym for good spech en­grendreth loue and euyll speche engrendreth hatered. ¶ And sayd a kynge ought to put from hym all euyll dysposed {per}sones for y^e harme y^t they of his cōpanye do is reputed his dede. And sayd he y^t erreth & knoweth it & after reputeth hym therof hath deserued pardon ¶ And sayd he y^t medleth to correct euery mā causeth y^e moost parte to hate hȳ. And sayd to a man y^t had re­proued his lynage / yf I be y^e worse for my lynage as y^e sayest they lynage is y^e worse for y^e. And sayd he y^e se­keht [Page] the delyces of this worlde is lyke vnto hym that seketh to drynke zarab wenynge it were water & ren­neth to drynke it tyll he bewery and whan he cometh to it he fyndeth no thynge and than he is more thursty than he was before. forzarab is a myst in a medewe whiche somtyme by refleccyon of the sonne semeth a water and is none in dede. ¶ And sayde a man hath neuer parfyte reste and Ioye in this worlde / for he can not alwaye perseuere in delectacyō & possesse his wyn­nynges & ofte hath trouble and anguysshe as well for losse of his frendes as other wyse. ¶ And sayd the lo­ue of this worlde stoppeth mannes eres from heryng sapyēce & blyndfyldeth the eyen from seynge thrught & it causeth also a man to be enuyed & kepeth hym fro doynge good dedys. ¶ And sayde he that loueth and vseth trouth hath mo & greater seruaūtes thā a kȳge ¶ And sayd he is not fre that kyndeth hȳ to an other. ¶ And sayd afferme no thynge tyll y^u knowe y^e trouth nor do no thynge but it be couenable nor begynne no thynge but yf thou se how to brynge it to good conclu­syon. Ther was a ryche man sayd to hym. O Socra­tes why arte thou so poore. To whome he answered yf thou knowest what is to pouerte thou woldest haue more sorowe of thy pouerte than of myn. ¶ And sayd it is a grete merueyll to se a wyseman angry∴

¶ And sayd y^e deth is a thynge that may not be escheweth & there ought none to drede it / but suche as ha­ue cōmytted grete iniquyte & done lytell iustyce wher­fore they sholde drede dampnacyon for theyr demery­tes after theyr deth. ¶ And sayd good dede is not to be dysposed but to be magnyfyed and praysed for it maketh transmutacyon from the worlde of vnclēnes [Page] & shame to the worlde of worshyp from the worlde not durable vnto perpetuell from the worlde of folye and vanytes to the worlde of sapyence & reason & trouthe and fro the worlde of traueyll & peyne to the worlde of consolacyon & rest. ¶ And sayd it is merueyll of hym that doubteth to dye & doth thynges contrary to his saluacyon. ¶ And sayd deth is lyfe to hym that kno­weth to haue Ioye after it. ¶ And sayd he that lyueth well shal dye well. ¶ And sayd better it is worsypful deth than shamefull lyfe. ¶ And sayd deth is the rest of couetous people for the lenger they lyue the more multyplye theyr couetyses & so deth is more conuena­ble for them than lyfe for deth of euyll people is the well and surete of the good by cause they shall do noo more synne nor hurt to the people. ¶ And sayd the lyfe Iugeth indyrectely amonges the deth. ¶ And sayde one ought not to wepe for hym that is slayne without cause but for hym that hathe slayne hym for he that sleeth vniustely dampned hym selfe. ¶ And sayd he y^t dredeth ony thynge ought to his power to beware therof / also he y^t doubteth to haue peynes for his syn­nes after his deth ought so to dele y^t he may eschewe that parel. ¶ And sayde whan thou wylt do ony thȳ­ge loke for what occasyon it is / & yf thou seest y^e ende therof goode / haste the conclusyon / and elles resyst thy wyll. ¶ And sayd better is to a man to lyfe harde than to borowe of hym that reputeth his lytell lones and gyftes to be grete and without cause wyll thyn­ke a man to be in his daunger. ¶ And sayd take in no preysynge the loue or gyfte of hym that hath dyswor­shypped the / for the dysshonour and shame therof is more than the wȳnȳge. He loued alway to lerne wherof [Page] some rebuked hym / to whom he sayd. The greatest shame that can come to an olde man is to be ignoraunt he founde a yonge man that had folysshely spent and wasted his substaūce / & was broght to suche pouerte that he was fayne to ete olyues to whom he sayd / yf the olyues had be as good to the at y^e begynnynge as they be now thou sholdest haue had yet largely of thy goodes. ¶ And sayd there is no dyfference betwyne a greate teller of tydynges and a lyer. ¶ And sayd the noblest thynge that chyldren may lerne is scyence for there by they eschewe to do euyll werkes. ¶ And sayd the grettest wynnynge that a man may haue is to gete a true frende he herde a man say that one was surer in kepynge his tonge than in moche spekynge / for in moche langage one may lyghtely erre to whom he sayde one ought not to vnderstande that in them that speke well. ¶ And sayde the profyte of sylence is lesse than the profyt of speche / and the harme of spe­che is more than the harme of scylence. ¶ And sayde one may knowe a wyseman be herkenynge & holdyng his tonge / & a man may knowe a foole by his moche claterȳge. ¶ And sayd he that wyll not hold his paes is to be blamed / & he that wyll holde his peas tyll he be boden speke is to be preysed. ¶ And sayde it is an ignoraūt thynge to dyspute in thynges that may not be vnderstande. ¶ And sayde the meane is best in all thynges. ¶ And sayd moche rennȳge maketh moche werynes. ¶ And sayd yf the wytte of a mā ouer maystre not his fraylte he shall soone be ouercome & brou­ght to nought. ¶ And sayde he is a beest that can not discerne the good from the euyll. ¶ And sayde he is a good frende that doth the good & a myghty frende y^t [Page] defendeth the from harme. He wrote vnto a kynge re­confortynge hym whā his sone was deed in this ma­ner god made this worlde an hous of delectacyon & re­warde and troubles in this worlde causen remune­ [...]acyon in the other. ¶ And sayde no man ought to re­pute hym selfe wyse mā. ¶ And sayd this worlde gy­ueth example to those that abyde by them that depart & sayd y^e losse of somme is lernynge to other. And sayd be that trusteth in this worlde is deceyued & he that is suspeccyous is in grete sorowe one of his discyples gaue hym a gyfte & he was troubled with all It was axed hym why he reioysed it not / he sayd the recepcy­on of this gyfte hath procured his worshyp & put me in his daunger. ¶ And sayd be to thy fader and to thy moder as thou wylt to thy chyldren ben to the. And sayd be not to angry nor to wrathfull / for that is the werke of a foule. And sayde one ought to haue shame to speke y^t he hath shame to do. ¶ And sayde refraeyne the from vyces in thy youth & it shalbe the fayrest garment that thou mayst were. ¶ And sayd gouerne the so to thy power that no man saye harme of y^e all be it / it were lesynges / for all men knowe not the trouth / & yet they haue eres. Plato desyred hym to answere in iii. thynges & he wolde be his dyscyple the fyrst was what manere of men one ought to haue moost pyte of. The seconde wherfore some mānys werkes preue not. The thyrde how a man sholde do to haue retry­bucyon of oure lorde. The fyrste he answered that a man ought to haue pyte in thre wyses that is to saye of a good mane in the handes of a shrewe / for he hathe there but all sorowe. And of a wyseman in the gouer­naunce of a foule whiche is to hym greate heuynesse [Page] and a lyberall man in the subieccyon of a keytyf for he hath therby grete trybulacyō. The secōde theyr wer­kes preue not that haue good counseyll and werke not there after & haue rychesse & wyll not dyspende it not for theyr nede. The thyrde is the good retrybucyon y^t one receyueth of our lorde god cometh to be entyerly obeysaunte vnto hym & absteyne hym from synne / & whan Platon was thus answerd he became his dy­scyple all his lyfe. ¶ And y^e sayd Socrates sayd dis­prayse bodely deth ond it shall be the lyfe of thy sou­le / folowe Iustyce & than shalt be saued. ¶ And sayde a wyseman resteth & delyteth hym whan he fyndeth trouth. ¶ And sayd a wysmā ought to speke with an ignoraunt as the physycyen doth with his pacyent.

¶ And sayd he that taketh his pleasa [...]eī this world must nedes fall in one of these .ii. causes y^t is to saye other to lacke that he coueyteth or to lefe that he hath wonne with grete payne. ¶ And sayd to one of his dis­cyples suffyse the to ete that wyl take a waye thy hū­gre & drynke that wyll staunce thurst remembrynge well thy soule & folowe good werkes / lerne sapyence of the moost wysmen that be in this dayes eschewe y^e gynnes that women set to take men withall for they be hynderers of sapyence. ¶ And sayd he that loueth this worlde is lyke to hym that entreth in the see / for yf he escape the parels of the same men wyll saye / he is fortunate and yf he be perysshed thy wyll saye he is wylfully dysceyued. ¶ And sayd man hath power ouer his wordes tyll they be spoken and whanne he hath ones vttered them he hath no power ouer them ¶ And sayde he that hath noo power to refreyne his tonge hath noo myght for to resyste all his other de­lectacyons. [Page] ¶ And sayd scyence & speche is good in dyuers wyses & places. ¶ And sayd yf a man be moche herde speke one may knowe yf he be dyscrete or not & yf he holde his peas or speke lytell one wyll the rather deme he be wyse ¶ And sayd whan a man speketh he ought to consydere afore what he wyll sayd / for bet­ter it is consydere than an other sholde. ¶ And sayde to one of his dyscyples / whan thou wylt speke / speke curteysey or holde thy peas. ¶ And sayde he that hol­deth his paes or speketh lytell lerneth at the speche of other / & yf he speke other lerned at his wordes. One axed hym what was a good pourchasse. he answered that / that groweth in the spendynge therof. And sayd dronkenshyp vndoth a man. ¶ And sayde one ought not to axe counseyll of hym that hath his herte all set to the world / for his aduis shall be but after his plea­saunce. ¶ And sayd good counseyll sheweth often the ende of that werke. There was a woman that called hym olde & sayd his face was ryght foule. To whome he answered thou arte so derke & so troublous a myr­rour that my beaute can te not be perceyued therin∴

¶ And sayd he is dyscrene that kepeth well his secre­tes and he is not wyse that dyscouers them. ¶ And sayde a man ought to kepe secret that he is desyred to kepe & he is more to preyse that kepeth that thynge secrete whiche he is not desyred to kepe. ¶ And sayd yf thou can not kepe thyn owne secretes moche lesse wyl he kepe it to whom thou hast tolde it. One axed hym why a wyse man wyll desyre to haue coūseyl. He sayd lest his wyll be in ony wyse medled with his wytte.

¶ And sayde he that is of good condycyons is of good & sure lyfe & is beloued of good people & he hath is of [Page] not is of euyl cōdicyons is euer y^e cōtrary. ¶ And sayd to one of his dyscyples / trust not this worlde for it pa­yeth euer that it promyseth. ¶ And sayd accustume you to be content with lytyll / for ye shall fynde it for y^e best and that shall come vnto you repute it not for ly­tyll / for it may encresse & multyplye / but seke to wyn­ne frendes in very loue shewynge them no sygne of hate. And one axed hym what dyfference was betwene trouth & lesynges / he sayd as moche as is bytwe­ne the ere & the eye. ¶ And sayd he that desyreth to haue more than suffysaunce hath y^t profyteth hym no thynge. ¶ And sayd to one of his dyscyples trust not in the tyme for it fayleth incontynent to hym that tru­steth therto. ¶ And sayd beware y^u be not dysceyued by thy beaute & by thy youthe / nor be the helth of thy body for thende of thy helth shall be sekenesse / and the ende of thy sekenesse shall be deth and thou mayst not eschewe the dyseases of this worlde there was neuer Ioye without sorowe nor neuer lyght without derkenesse / nor neuer rest without labour / nor assemble w^t ­out departynge. ¶ And sayd lyke as y^e fortune of this world shal make y^e haue reioysynge vpō thyn enemys ryght so may it make thyn enemyes haue reioysynge of y^e. ¶ And sayd he that stablyssheth & setteth hȳ selfe in couenable place is the more sure for the perylles of this worlde. ¶ And sayd he that is fulfylled w^t the lo­ue of this worlde dysposeth hym to .iij. thynges that is to saye fyrst to pouerte for he shall neuer atteyne to y^e rychesse y^t he desireth / secōdely to suffre peyne / thyr­dely to besynesse without expedycyon. ¶ And sayde tell neuer thy counseyll to hym that is angry whan one prayeth hym to kepe it secrete One axed hȳ what [Page] he hadde wonne by his scyences / he sayde I am as a man syttynge on y^e see syde & beholdynge the symple folkes wrapped in the wawes of the see. ¶ And sayd grete fredom groweth by seruyce for y^e more one ser­ueth y^e more fre he becometh. ¶ And sayde he y^t well wynne frendes lete hym loke fyrst yf he can refreyne them from couetyse & yf he can rest than w^t them and elles sone to departe. ¶ And sayd yf y^u be not couetous thou may rest in euery place / & y^e sayde Socrates had many sayenges ayenst women whiche is not translated / & it was axed of hym to what scyence it was best to set his chylde to scole. He answered to lerne y^t / that is bothe profytable in this worlde and the other / one axed hym whan he began to be wyse & vertuous / he answered whan fyrst I refreyned my selfe wyll. And sayd whan a man is so dylygent to lerne & loueth soo well scyence that he taketh non hede of praysynge nor dyspraysynge for the lore therof thenne is he wyse. It was tolde hym y^t there had no credence be gyuen to al his wordes. He answered so that my wordes haue be good & resonable / I gyue no grete force who had beleued them or no. ¶ And sayd he is good in the hyest degre of goodnesse y^t enforceth hȳ to be good hym selfe & he is in y^e seconde degre that enforceth hym to cause other to be good / & he that recketh of one of these two is to be dyspraysed. ¶ And sayd to his disciples be not desyrous to haue the good not durable but coueyte to haue y^t is {per}petually good. And sayd be not inquisytyf vpon other folkes lest they be inquysytyf vpon y^e. And sayd put wyt & descrycyō afore y^e in al thy werkes & y^u shalt be y^e better garnisshed whā y^u shalt com to thereaccucyon [Page] of the same. ¶ And sayde / before not to doo good dydes all be it they be vnknowen. There was one dispraysed his face / to whome he sayd it was not my power to make my face & therfore I ought not to be blamed yf it be foule that that I haue power ouer I haue made fayre / & that that thou haddest power ouer thou hast foyled. ¶ And sayde be true vnto hym that cōpayneth with the & bereth trouth vnto the / & thou shalte be the more sure to eschewe daungyers.

¶ And sayd do to other as thou woldest they shold do to the / & do to none other but as thou woldest be done to. ¶ And sayde a man ought to be corrected by expe­ryence and taught by the mutacyon of his worlde∴

¶ And sayde he is lyberall that hath gretter delecta­cyon to haue good renomme than money. ¶ And sayd pacyence is a stronge castell / & hastynes engendreth repentaūce. ¶ And sayd honour is the fruyt of trouth & for thy trouth thy frendes shall worshyp the and thy goodnes shall be knowen not sparȳge to do that y^t shal be profytable. ¶ And sayde it ought suffyce a man to knowe and vnderstande that that he seth dayly fall in this worlde for therby he may lerne newe scyences he ought to be worshypped y^t wylleth well to euery man & he that wyll other mēnes harmes putteth hymself in grete peryll but the Iuste man resteth in surete.

¶ And sayde he that kepeth hym selfe well is a grete conquerour & he that setteth so lytel by hym selfe that he thynketh not on his soule leseth hym selfe he that is pacyent doth well & shall not repente hym / and he that holdeth his peas saueth his daungyer. And sayd lete thy sedes be good werkes & thou shalt gadre flou­res of Ioye & of gladnesse. ¶ And sayd thou shalt ha­ue [Page] rest in the company of a wyse man and laboure in the companye of a foole. ¶ And sayd to be satysfyed with lytell is worshyppe and not to be satysfyed with moche is shame. ¶ And sayd enquyre whā thou haste done ony defaute and yf thou haue erred correcte thy selfe & repente the & after that repentaunce ware thou fall no more therto / & loke thou vaunte the not of ony of thy good dedys. ¶ And sayd he that preyseth hym that doth well is partener of his good dedys. ¶ And sayd company not with hym that knoweth not hym selfe. ¶ And sayde he is in grete reste that resrayneth hym from angre. ¶ And sayd he is well disposed that can tempre his delynge & his speche. ¶ And sayd ta­ke no shame to here trouth of whom so euer thou he­rest it for trouth is so noble that it worshyppeth those that pronoūce it. ¶ And sayd that thȳge that kepeth a man from shame is better than rychesse purchassed therby. ¶ And sayd many men may apperceyue fau­tes in them selfe that fynde fautes in all othrr. ¶ And sayd to a man that fled vaȳquysshed from a batayll y^u dost euyll to flee frome the honourable deth to the sha­mefull lyfe. ¶ And sayd he that erreth or he know the trouth ought the sooner to haue forgyuenesse. ¶ And sayd moche wyne and sapyence may not accorde / for they be in maner contraryous. ¶ And sayd suffysaū­ce is a castell that kepeth wyse mē from euyll werkes ¶ And sayde yf he can not eschewe Ire yet kepe it se­cret. ¶ And sayde that thynge that a foole leseth can neuer be recouered / but a wyse man can lese nothyn­ge. There was a foole that blamed hym wherfore one of his felowes axed hym leue to auēge hym to whom he sayd a wyse man gyueth neuer lycence to do amisse [Page] ¶ And sayd all thynges be strengthed and susteyned by Iustyce & all thynges be amenysshed & feblysshed by Iniustyce. ¶ And sayd all y^t thou doost may not be kepte counseyll all be it. It be not now vnderstanden it shall be knowen atte somtyme. ¶ And sayd good renomme is better than rychesse / for rychesse wyll be loste & renōme wyll laste. Sapyence is a rychesse that wyl neuer fayle nor admynysshe. ¶ And sayd beware the of the dronkenshyp for the wytte that is ouerco­me with wyne is lyke y^e hors y^t casteth his mayster.

¶ And sayd take hede of the guydynge of hym that y^u axes coūseyll of / yf he gouerne hym selfe euyll by lyk­ly hode ryght so euyll he guyde the / for by reason he ought to loue hym selfe better than the. ¶ And sayde beware thou breke not the lawes that be for the com­mune profyte. ¶ And sayd pouerte is better thā euyll goten rychesse. ¶ And sayd a man without scyence is lyke a realme without a kynge. ¶ And sayd a kynge ought to take none to his seruice but suche as he hath preued afore good & true. ¶ And sayde he that taketh all men in lyke condycyon may not make them all his frendes. ¶ And sayde cōmytte all thy causes to god w^t out ony excepcyon. ¶ And sayd repute not thy synnes lytell nor magnyfye thy good dedys for thou shalt ha­ue nede of them yf they were more. ¶ And sayd to his dyscyples beware of this worlde & thynke it is a thor­ne busshe that thou must trede vpon. ¶ And sayde ly­ke as those that ben wordely wyse kepe them frome angre in the presence of theyr kynge by a greate rea­son ought they to beware how they angre them afore god that is to vnderstande in euery place. For god is ouer all. ¶ And sayde he that is longe or he be angry [Page] is harder to apease than he y^t is lyghly wroth ryght as y^e grene wode is hotter than the other whan it is well kyndeled. There were brought afore hym cer­tayn people whiche sayd dyuerse iniuryes to hym he answered yf ye haue ony other matere to wyn̄e of me than this do it or ellys holde youre peas. There was greater reuerence made to an other man than to hym wherfore one axed hym yf he had ony enuye there at. He answered yf he had more scyence than I / I wolde haue had enuye at hym or ellys not. ¶ And sayde sa­pience & good renōme is not founde but in good perso­nes wherfore they be better than the greate rychesse y^t is founde in foule & euyll people. ¶ And sayd thy sou­le ought to thynke well and thy body to helpe therto. ¶ And sayd that thou oughtest kepe secret in thy cou­rage dyscouere it not to euery man. ¶ And sayde one vnto hym that sawe hym in a poore clothynge this is

not Socrates thus poorely arrayed y^t gaue the lawes to the people of Athenes to whom he answered y^e true lawe is not made by good arayement but by vertue / reason / & scyence. And sayd to his dysciples dispreyse y^e deth & sēblably drede it. and sayde a wyse man ought to knowe what is his soule.

PLaton is by īterpre­tacyon as moche to saye as endeth or fulfylled and was of grece by his fa­ders [Page] syde he was of the noble Esculapius kynrede & by his moders syde of the kynrede of zalon that ordei­ned dyuerse lawes as it is aboue sayde he dwelled w^t Socrates the space of fyue yeres / and after the deth of the sayd Socrates he vnderstode y^t in egypte were certayn of Pytagoras dyscyples to whom he went & profyted moche in lernynge with them he retorned than agayn to Athenes / & there he ordeyned two sco­les & vsed laudable lyfe in doynge good werkes hel­pynge and nouryshynge the nedy people. And they of Athenes wolde haue made hym theyr lorde. He refu­sed it vtterly for as moche as he knewe them of bad & wycked condycyons and knewe well that coude not lyghtly chaūge theyr dysposycyons. And also he wyst well yf he shold correcte them lyke as it apperteyneth they wold serue hȳ as they dyd Socrates. The sayd Plato lyued .lxi. yeres a man of good discrecyon dispo­sycyon & eyght pacyent & a grete gyuer of his goodes to poore men & to straungers. And he had many dysci­ples amonge the whiche .ii. of them after his deth y^t is to witte zenocrates & Aristoteles helde the scoles.

And the sayd Platon dyd teche his sapyēce by allego­rye to thentent that it sholde not be vnderstande but by wytty men And he lerned it of tymeo & of Socra­tes / he made .vi. bokes & preched & taught the people that they sholde gyue graces and thankes to god for his goodnes and mercy / and for that he made them all egall in so moche that be a man neuer so myghty his power can no more thā yf he were a poore creature re­syste ayenst deth semblably he bad and thanked god for the wytte y^t he hath gyuen vnto man. ¶ And sayd ymage no thynge to be in hym but that is nedefull [Page] good and conuenable. ¶ And sayde he not couetous vpon worldely goodes / for god hath ordeyned that we sholde haue suffysaūce in this worlde. And suche suf­fysaunce is called Sapyence / the whiche ye ought to haue with the drede of god whiche is the key of good­nesse / wherby ye may entre & atteyne to the good and true rychesse of this worlde leuynge to do all thynge that may cause hattered & euyll wyll for and ye wyst howe some thynges that ye loue and preyse are euyll and vyle / ye wolded haue them in more hattered than loue. ¶ And sayde dyrecte and amende your selfe and after labour to correcte other and yf ye do not ye shall be dampned. And I tel you y^e thynge y^t hath made me syluer / moost glad Is that I haue not set by golde ne for yf I had gadred grete tresour I sholde haue had many heuy thoughtes where I haue nowe Ioye & gladnes whiche encreaseth daylye in me in lernynge wysedom & for to lete you wete that golde and syluer are not good to be ouermoche set by. There is some contre that a lytell yuory or vnycorne bone is bought for a greate some of golde & in other places men take glasses bras and other suche thynges / for as moche golde. And therfore yf it were perfytely good of hym selfe he sholde be egally chosen & loued ouer all lyke as sapyence is chosen and loued in euery contre. ¶ And sayd enquere and seke to haue vertues and ye shall be saued / prayse no foule thynges & blame no thynge y^t is laudable & trauayll you not for to wynne thynges that shall lyghtly be lost folowe after your good pre­decessours arraye you with iustyce & clothe you with chastyte & so ye shall be happy & your werkes lauded ¶ And sayd custome is a greate thynge. ¶ And sayde [Page] the wycked werkes dampne & destroye the good & y^e byttrenesse of alloe tree dystroyeth the swetenesse of hony. ¶ And sayd a wyse man ought not to thȳke on his losses but ought to kepe well y^e remenaunt of his good. ¶ And sayd he y^t doth not for his frendes why­le he may they wyll leue hȳ whan he shall haue moost nede to them. ¶ And he sayd that sapience is good for she can neuer be loste as other catalles & wordely goo­des may. And it was axed hym where by a wyse mā myght be knowen / & he answered whan he wyll not be wroth of the Iniuryes that ben done vnto hym & reioyseth hym not whan mē preyse hym. And it was axed of hym howe men myght best be venged of theyr enemyes he answered for to be vertuous & to do good and noble dedys. ¶ And sayd to his dyscyples enforc you to gete scyences / by the whiche ye shall dyrecte your soules. And do your part for to kepe the lawe in suche wyse that your maker may be content with you And he saw a yonge man that had solde the lyuelode that was come to hym by successyon & he dyspende it amysse in grete dyuers & other mysrewle to whom he sayd the erthe eteth other men but thy selfe etest the erthe. And it was axed of hym why it is that tresour & scyence may not accorde to gyder and he answered & sayd that one thynge hole accōplysshed may not be deuyded. ¶ And sayd that he that trusteth in his for­tune and is not somwhat besye & dylygent to labour in good werkes the good resorted frome hym as doth the arowe from the stone that it hath lyght vpon∴

¶ And sayd he that techeth good to other and doth it not hym selfe. Is lyke to hym that lyghteth a candel to an other & goth hym selfe darkelynge. ¶ And sayd [Page] a kynge ought not to be gretly preysed that reygneth onely but vpon his subiectes / but he ought to haue laude y^e reygneth & hath lordshyp vpon his enemyes ¶ And sayde he that gadreth & assembleth moche syl­uer ought not to be called ryche but he that dispēdeth it worshypfully and laudably. And some asked hym how one myght kepe hȳ from nede. And he answered yf men by ryche late hym lyue tēporatly & sobrely & yf they be poore lete thē labour dilygentely. Than some axed hym of how moche good a man ought to be con­tent And he answered to haue so moche as he nedeth not to flater nor borowe of other.. ¶ And sayde to his dyscyples whan ye shall be wery of studyenge / sporte you ī redynge good storyes. ¶ And sayd that the wy­se man ought not to coueyte the rychesses of his fren­de lest he be hated and dyspreyse hym therfore. ¶ And sayd a lytell good is a greate thynge yf thou be cōtent there with. ¶ And sayde it is better and a more coue­nable thynge to a kynge to remembre & se to the good gouernaūce of his people the space of a daye than for to daunce & sporte hym a hole yere. ¶ And sayde wer­kes done by wysdome causeth knowledge of thynges & them dyscretly to dyscerue & werkes done by igno­raunce is an vnknowē thynge tyll trouth stable & set them in theyr ryght waye & werkes done by lesynges is for to disordre good thynges and putte them out of theyr propre places. ¶ And sayd thou shalt neuer be paciēt whyle y^u art couetous & it was asked hȳ how he myght haue lerned so moche wysdom he answere bycause I haue put more oyle ī my lāpe to studye by thā wyne in my cup. And it was axed of hym what mā is [Page] moost couenable for to gouerne a towne / & he answe­red he that can well gouerne hymselfe / & it was also axed of hym what man was moost worthy to be cal­led wyse / & he answered he that taketh moost hede to good counseyll & casteth moost doubtes. ¶ And sayde that the vessels of gold be proued & knowen by theyr sowne yf they be broken or hole soo are men proued & knowen by theyr speche yf they be wyse or fooles / and It was axed hym whiche be the most ignoraūt men in theyr dedes / & he sayd suche as werke moost after theyr owne counseyll & that obeye to them selfe / and for defaunte of good aduysement dyspose them har­dely to doo wycked dedes. And they axed hym whoo dooth moost wronge to hym selfe. And he sayd he that meketh hym to those that he ought not. ¶ And sayde the Ignoraunt people Iugeth lyghtly the fayrenes or the fylth y^t they se outwarde / & the wyse mā iugeht by that y^t they se of mannes condycyons. ¶ And sayd he fyndeth sapyence that seketh her by y^e ryght waye and many erre bycause they seke her vnduely & bla­me her without cause. ¶ And sayd he y^t is ignoraunt of good sapience knoweth not hym selfe. And the per­sone y^e whiche knoweth not hymselfe is of all Igno­rauntes the moost ignoraūt / and he is wyse that kno­weth ignoraunce and he that knoweth it not is igno­raunt. ¶ And sayd wrath ledeth shame in a lese. And sayd the kynge resembled to a grete ryuer growynge of lytell and small rennynge watres / and therfore yf he be swete the lytell sholde be swete and yf he be salte the lytell sholde be salt. ¶ And sayd be well ware that in batayll thou truste not all onely in thy strength dis­preysynge thyn naturall witte causeth victorye with [Page] oute myght / but vnneth may men haue vyctorye by strength without vse of naturall wytte. ¶ And sayde wordes w^toute good effecte is lyke a grete water that drowneth the people & doth it selfe no profyte. ¶ And sayd a suspeccyous man is of euyll condycyons & ly­ueth in sorowe. ¶ And sayd be not wyllynge to vse o­ny wordely delectacyons vnto y^e tyme that ye se whe­ther wytte & reason graunte therto / & yf these two ac­corde thou mayst well & lyghtly knowe the fayrenes & the fylth therof / & in what wyse they varye / & what dyfference is bytwene them. ¶ And sayd the realmes aren somtyme lost by neglygence / and somtyme for vsynge to moche ydelnesse & also by to grete trustynge in fortune. Also whan men entende not to encreace the people to in habyte the lande. and also whan warre la­steth longe therin. ¶ And sayde the ende of indygna­cyon is to be ashamed of hymselfe And it was axed of hym how a wyse man coude be troubled / & he answe­red whan he is compelled to tell the trouth of an vn­knowen thynge to hym. ¶ And sayd whā thou shalte se a man of good disposycyon and full of perfeccyon thou ought to do after hym for couetyse is both weke & seke in hym to do after hym. ¶ And sayd dyspreyse not a lytell thȳge for it may encreace. ¶ And sayd bla­me not nor rebuke a man whā he is wroth / for than y^u mayst not dyrecte hym. ¶ And sayd be not glad of the euyll fortune of another / for thou knowest not how y^e world may tourne ayenste the. ¶ And sayd stable thy wytte both at thy ryght hande & thy left & thou shalt be fre. ¶ And sayd there be .iii. thynges that doth me harme to se / that is to saye. Aryche man fallen in po­uerte / a worshypfull man dispreysed / & a wyse man [Page] mocked and scorned by ignoraūte people. ¶ And sayd be not in felowshyp with the wycked men for no good that they can promyse the. ¶ And sayde whan a real­me is in prosperyte / couetyse is bounde to the kynge of the same realme. And whan a realme is in aduer­syte the kynge is bounde to couetyse. ¶ And sayde coueyte not that thy thynges be hastely done but de­syre onely that they be well done. ¶ And sayd a man ought to be better content and is more bounde to his prynce for one fayre worde of hym than yf other had gyue hym grete gyftes. ¶ And sayd the gyftes that ben gyuen to the good poeple asked retrybucyon and the gyftes that be gyuen to the noughty people cau­seth them but to aske more. ¶ And sayde the wycked­nesse foloweth after the wycked men & dyspreayseth all goodnesse / lyke as y^e flye that eteth vpon corrupte thynges and leueth the swete floures. ¶ And sayde haste thou not to preyse ony thynge vnto the tyme y^t thou knowest yf it be worthy for to be preysed or not.

¶ And sayd that a wyse man ought not to exalte hym selfe before the vnconnynge but meke hym & thanke god that it hath pleased hym to exalte hym in grace & put peyne to brynge hym out of his ignoraunce in the waye of ryght wysnesses & courtesye for yf he sholde rebuke hym shamefully it sholde be cruelte & to instructe hym easely is courtesye. ¶ And sayd that .ii. dispu­ters disputynge & arguynge for to haue knowlech of the trouth of a thynge haue noo cause to be wroth to­gyder for theyr questyon falleth to one conclusyon but and yf the one thynketh for to cōquere the other they may haue lyghtely hatered togyder for as moche as eche of them wyll brynge his felowe to his owne en­tente [Page] / & so to subdue his opinyon. ¶ And sayd whan y^u wylt borow or axe ony thynge of ony man yf it be re­fused y^t thou ought to be more ashamed of thyn askynge than he of his refuse. ¶ And sayde he that can not nor wyll gouerne hym selfe is not able to gouerne many other. ¶ And sayde a wyseman ought to aske cur­teysely & mekely & with fewe wordes lyke as the leche that draweth more blood of a man mekely & without noyse than doth the syncerolle that prycketh faster & maketh more noyse. ¶ And sayd a man of feble coura­ge annoyeth hym lyghtly of y^t he loueth. ¶ And sayde enforce thy selfe to knowe god & drede hym / peyne the for to knowe thy selfe & to teche other and rather to do so than do besy the in thyn other dayly occupacyons. ¶ And sayd desyre nothynge of god / but that is prou­fytable but desyre of hym the good that is durable lo­ue not symply the good lyfe here / but pryncypally the good ende. ¶ And sayd he is vnhappy that contynu­eth in his malyce and thynketh not on his ende.

¶ And sayd reken not thy gettynge in thynges y^t ben from the / ne tary not to do for them that haue done for the tyll they aske the / the recōpense. ¶ And sayde he is not very wyse that gladdeth or reioysed hym in worldely prosperytes / and is troubled in aduersytes. ¶ And sayde the fylthe of wordely wyt is knowen in moche speche. ¶ And sayd fyrst thynke and afterwarde speke and than execute / for thynges chaunge lygh­tely. ¶ And sayde angre the not sodeynely / for yf thou acustome it / it wyll torne ones to thy har­mes. ¶ And sayde yf thou be wyllynge to gyue ony thynge to ony nedy body / tary not tyll to morowe / for thou knowest not what maye befalle [Page] the / & gyue to hym that maye not labour ne gete his lyunge. ¶ And sayd be not wyse onely in seynge but in dedys for y^e speche wasteth in the worlde & y^e spaiē­ce of dedys is profytable in the euerlastynge worlde. ¶ And saye oure lorde accepteth hym for noble that doth good werkes though he be peasible of lytell wor­des / reputeth for euyll the prayerers & sacryfyces that ben done by euyll people. ¶ And sayde yf thou labour to do good thou shalte therfore suffre no peyne / for yf thou haste delectacyon to doo synen thy delectacyon shall vanysshe & be none & thy synne shall abyde euer with the. ¶ And sayde haue in mynde the daye that y^u shal be called to thy Iugement and thou shalt here no thynge & than thy claterynge tonge shall be styll / the thought shall fayle the / thyn eyen shall be derke / and thyn humanyte shall be consumed in to the erth / and thy wytte so corrupt that thou shalt haue no power to fele y^e stenche of thy body / nor how the wormes shall souke thy roten karyen. Also haue in mynde the place where thou shalte goo / the lordes & the seruaūtes shal be all lyke in the sayde place & that there may nother frende no foo hurte nor helpe the. And therfore lerne good scyences & discyplyne / for thou shalt not knowe whan thy departynge oute of this worlde shall be / & yet be certayn that amonges all the gyftes of god sa­pyence is the moost excellent / she gyueth goodenes to the good people & {per}donneth to the wycked theyr wyc­kednes thynke and haue in thy mynde contynually that thou haste to doo all / and trust not in ony thynges of his moeuable worlde be well ware that thou doo no foule dedys for no delectacyons nor wynnynges / and beware that for the variable pleafaunces of this [Page] wicked worlde thou lese not the ioyfull & euerlastyng blysse. ¶ And sayde loue sapyence vnderstande & her­ken the wysemen & be obeyssāt to thy lorde werke not but in due tyme & yet take hede how thou shalt do it / loke that thou saye no worde vnconuenyent / & be not proude for no rychesses / ne despeyre the not for none euyll fortunes be well disposed to all people & dispra­se no man for his mekenes. ¶ And sayd that thou re­putest no vyce in thy selfe blame not an other though he do it and thou ought not to dsyre to be preysed of vertues that be not in the / ne do no suche thynge that thou woldest blame or disprayse an other yf he dyd it thou must do suche thȳges as ben good & couenable though they be forboden the. ¶ And sayd a wyse mā ought to repute his errour grete & his good dedys ly­tell. ¶ And sayde a folye is to cut the synnes and take awaye the euyll brāches therof & to leue within oure selfe y^e couetyses & otehr wyckednesses. ¶ And sayde lyke as we kepe our selfe from y^e multytude of metes for y^e helth of our body we ought by a greate reason to absteyne vs fro vyces for the saluacyon of our soules. ¶ And sayde the that addeth to his gentylnesse nobles­se with good maners and condicyons is worthy to be preysed & he that taketh & suffyseth hym onely with the gentylnesse that cometh to hym by his kynred w^t out purchassynge ony other vertues ought not to be called good nor to be holde noble. ¶ And sayd yf thou fele thy selfe more true to the kynge than other ben & that thy wages ben lyke to theyrs or lesse / yet thou ought not to complayne therof for thyn are lastynge & so are not theyrs. ¶ And sayde yf ony haue enuye at the and by enuye sayth euyll of the sett not there by [Page] and thou shalt haue peas with hym for he seketh not but for to haue noyse with y^e. ¶ And sayd men ought to kepe well theyr holy dayes that is to wytte pryncy­pally from euyll doynge. ¶ And sayde the more that thou art exalted in hyghe estate the more thou ought to be meke and curtoyse to the people to the ende that theyr loue may abyde with the / yf ony thynge sholde befall the otherwyse than well. ¶ And sayde vnneth may a man kepe the loue of his frendes yf he wyl cor­recte hym rudely of his fautes. ¶ And sayd a wyse man ought for to thece good men to be his seruauntes lyke as men chese the good grounde for to laboure it.

ARystotell by inter­pretacyon in gre­kes tonge is fulfylled or complete of goodnes / and he was sone to Nycho­macus / the whiche was ryght c̄onynge in physy­ke & a good physycyen & was borne in y^e towne of stragre & he was of y^e kynred both by his faders sy­de & by his moders syde of Esculapius of the whi­che here before hath be­made mencyon. For he was in his tyme the moost excellent and the best of all the grekes. And whan the sayd Arestotell was .viii. yere of age his fader put hym in the Cyte of Athe­nes that than was called the Cyte of wysedome / and [Page] there he lerned gramarye rethoryke and other bokes of poetrye and therm he studyed the space of .ix. yeres profytynge gretly therin. And in those dayes men set moche store by the foresayd scyences & was theyr opynyon that it was the laddre to go vp in to all other scyences. ¶ And certayn other wysemen at the same tyme as Pytagoras and Pytoras and dyuers other reputed and helde the sayde scyences for noo scyence and dyd but mocke and scorne them that lerned them sayenge that suche scyence as gramarye Rethoryke and poetrye were not couenable to come to ony wys­dom. And that gramayre is not but for to teche chyl­dren poetrye but for to tell fables and to make lesyn­ges Rethoryke for to speke fayre and in tremes. And whan Arystotell herde these wordes he had grete meruayl therof and was gretly agreued with suche as helde the same opynyon & strenghted hym after his power to susteyne all manere of gramaryens the peo­tes / and also the rethorycyeus. And sayde plenyly that sapyence canne not excuse her of the sayd scyen­ces for reason is an Instrument of wytte as it appe­reth openly that knowynge of ony thynge is to vse of reason. And this prerogatyue whiche god hath gyuē to men is ryght noble and worthy to thentente that amonges the men he sholde be holden for the moost noble and moost wyse that more vseth of reason∴

¶ And that better and more couenable receyueth in his herte thynges and telleth them in place an tyme couenable and for as moche as sapyence is moost no­ble of all other thynges she ought to be declared by the best reason and conuenable manere and by the [Page] moost plesaunt and shorte wordes that can be done without errour or lettynge the sentence for yf the rea­son be spoken parfytely the name of wysedom is lost therby / & so is the speker in fawte / and soo the herers resten in doubte of the sentence. And after that Ary­stotell coude the scyences aboue sayd he lerned of pla­to in a place called epydeme ethykes and the .iiii. scyēces theologykes and that tyme he was .xvii. yere of age. And whan Platon went the seconde tyme in to Cecyle he lefte Arystotell in his place in y^e sayde two­ne of epydeme / in the whiche he taught the scyence & lerned it. And after the deth of Plato the kynge Phy­lyppe of macedone sente for Arystotell whiche wente to hym in macedone / & there dwelled with hym du­rynge his lyfe techynge contynually the sayd scyence and after the deth of kynge Philyppe reygned his so­ne Alexandre the greate / and whan Alexandre depar­ted from macedone for to go in to the countre and re­gyon of dayse tho retourned Arystotell to Athenes & ther he dwelled .x. yeres studiēge tyll that he became a souerayn clerck / and a preste accused hym by enuye to the Cytezyns tellynge them that he worshypped not theyr ydolles lyke as other people dyd at that ty­me / wherof Arystotell was aduertysed & hastely de­parted fro Athenes & went in the towne of Setagy­re where he was borne ferynge that they of Athenes wolde haue done to hym as they dyde to Socrates yf he had dwelled lenger with them. And he ordeyned a place in Setagyre where he held and kept the scoles gyuynge many good instruccyons to the people and occupeyd the tyme in good dedys and gaue greate al­mesdedys to poore people & maryed many poore chyl­dren [Page] that were fader lesse and moder lesse. ¶ And he thaught benygnely all tho that wolde studye. What estate or nacyon that euer they were of / and edyfyed & buyled newe ayen the sayd eyte yf Setagyre & there in ordeyned lawes and gaue instruccyons to kynges and pryncis whiche they toke and kepte ryght reue­rently. And after he dyed in the age of .lxiii. yeres they of Satagyre toke his bones and ryght worshypfully put them in a shryne where they helde theyr counseyll for his grete wytte / and also for the greate and feruent loue that they had to hym. And as oftentymes as they hadde to do ony grete mater for to haue the decla­racyon therof the mē whiche were of counseyll wold go and stande as nyghe the sayd shryne where the bo­nes were as they coude / for to haue knowlege of the trouth of theyr matere. And thus they dydde for to worshyp hym the more and theyr opynyons and ve­ry trust were for onely beynge nyghe the sayd shryne theyr wyttes sholde be the better & theyr vnderstan­dynge more pure and subtyll. ¶ And the sayd Arysto­tell hadde in his tyme many kynges sones that were his discyples. And he made in his dayes well an hon­dred bokes / of the whiche we haue now .xxviii. in lo­gyke .viii. in nature / the booke of Ethykes / the booke of Polytykes / the booke of Metaphysyke that is na­med theologyke / and the bookes of the wyttes of geo­metrye. And Platon rebuked hym bycavse that he wrote his scyences in bookes / to whom he sayd in ex­cusynge hym / that it is a thynge knowen & notyfyed ynoughe that all tho that loued scyence ought to do nothynge that sholde cause y^e losse of her / and therfore [Page] it is good to compose & make bokes by the whiche scy­ence shal be lerned / and whan oure memorye shal fayll it shall be recouered by meane of bookes. For he that hateth scyence shall not profyte in it thought it be so that he se the bookes and beholde them yet shall he set not by it but departe wors and les wyse than he was afore. And I haue made and ordeyned my bookes in suche forme that the wysemen shall lyghtly and easely vnderstande them but the ignoraunt men shall ha­ue but lytell auayle be them. ¶ And the sayde Arysto­tell helde gladly in his hande an instrument of sterres ¶ And sayd to kynge Alexandre he that hath in this worlde good and laudable name and the grace of god ought to aske ne desyre none other thynge. ¶ And sayd thus to hym dyrecte thy selfe fyrst for yf thou be not Iuste how mayest thou well dyrecte thy people & yf thou be in errour thou canst neuer gouerne them well / for a poore man can not make an other ryche he that is dysworshypped can not worshyp an other / he that is ryght seble may not helpe an other / & so may not goodely ne well ony man dyrecte an other / but yf he dyrecte hym selfe fyrst. And therfore yf thou wyll take of the fylthes frome other clense thy selfe fyrst∴

Or elles thou shalte be as the leche that is seke & can not hele hym selfe & trauayleth to hele other that ha­ue the same sekenesse. ¶ And sayd it is a grete chasty­sement to the people to haue a ryght wys lorde / and it is a greate corrupcyon vnto them to haue a corrupt and mysruled kynge. ¶ And sayd kepe the fro couety­se / for thou oughtest to thynke and remembre well [Page] that it is not laudable thynke to haue rychesses ī this worlde and shame in the other seynge that this worl­de is no more but onely a baytynge place for to go to the other worlde. ¶ And sayde yf thou wyll be ryche suffyse y^e with suche as thou hast for he that hath not suffysaūce can neuer be ryche what goodes that euer he hath. ¶ And sayde yf it were so that by euyll doȳge it sholde fortune the to haue some good / and by well doynge to haue some harme / yet eschewe the euyll or ellys thou shalt be deceyued at last / and euer do well and at last thou shalt be remunered therfore. ¶ And sayd suche thynges as thou preyses vpō they self blame it not vpon an other. And do noo thynge to other but as thou woldest it were done to the refrayne thyn owne wyll and hate not other men / be not enuyous and haue hym not in Indygnacyon that hath offen­sed the for noo man can somtyme eschewe errour / be not couetous / for couetyse letteth the mannes reason and taketh away the knowlege of trouth. Do not vn­conuenable werkes / take companye with wysemen & studye in theyr bookes. Fle lesynges / for the lyers ly­en not but for vnknowynge of reason. And yf theyr soules the lest harme that can fall to a lyer is that no man bylyueth hym of no thynge that he sayd. Ne­uerthelesse man may better beware of a thefe than of a lyer. ¶ And sayde / the hertes of goode people ac­corden togyders. Lyke as the rennynge water with the water of the See. ¶ And the hertes of euyll people canne not lyghtly accorde togyder / all be it [Page] that they be togyder as the vnresonable bestes that playe & lepe togyder & sodaynly fall to fyghtynge∴

¶ And sayd ordeyned that your offyces & auctorytes ben gyuen to them that loueth and foloweth trouth & ryghtwysenes and cause them to haue rigorous pay­nes that ben harmedoers and loueth falsholde and de­cepcyon. ¶ And sayd yf ye haue doubte in ony thynge counseyll you to wysemen and yf they dyspreyse you therof be ye neuer wrothe therfore / and a man hath some vyce & besyde that hath many vertues ye ought not therfore to lete to aske hym counseyll. ¶ And sayd many man shall both lette & trouble the that can not helpe the. ¶ And sayd Iustyce is a mesure y^e whiche god hath ordeyned vpon the erth by the whiche the feble is defended from the myghty & the true from y^e vertue. ¶ And sayd the wyse mā knoweth what ignoraunce is in as moche as somtyme he hath ben igno­raunt / but the ignoraunt was neuer wyse & therfore he knoweth not what is wysedome. ¶ And sayde to Alexandre there be many lytell besynesses in thy re­alme and grete and generall / and yf thou gyue power to ony persone vpon the grete / and thy selfe to occu­pye the lytell thou shalt well wytte and perceyue that grete dommage shall there be falle to the in tyme co­mynge yf it falleth not sonner. ¶ And sayde lyberaly­te is to gyue to nedy people or to hym that hathe de­serued it soo that the gyfte be after the possybylyte of the gyuer for he that gyueth ouer reason ought to be called waster and not lyberall. ¶ And sayde Sapy­ence is the defense of the soule / and the myrroure of reason / wherfore he is ryght blessyd that trauayleth to haue her / for she is the foundement and the roote of [Page] all noble dedys and laudable thynges and by her we may wynne the good ende / and kepe vs from payne euerlastynge. ¶ And sayde O Alexander yf thou vse thy power & lordshyp other wyse thā y^u oughtest to do thou shalt be enuyed / of enuye shall come lesynges / of lesynges shall come iniustyce and ennymyte of Iniu­styce & ennemyte shall come batayll / & by batayll the lawe shall be {per}ysshed the people hurt & thy possessyōs lost. But yf thou vse thy lordshyp as thou oughtest to do trouth shall encresse in thy realme of trouth shal co­me Iustyce / of Iustyce loue / of loue grete gyftes and suretye by y^e whiche the lawe thy people & thy goodes shall be maynteyned & encresse. ¶ And sayde he y^t ma­keth his realme seruant to the lawe shall reygne & he that taketh & put out the lawe from the realme shall not reygne. ¶ And sayde a kynge ought to be of good & stronge courage to remembre well the ende of the werkes & to be curteys & fre / & to refrayne his wrathe where it aperteyneth & shewe it where it nedeth to kepe hym from couetyse to be true to gouerne hym as nyghe as he may after his good predecessours / to gy­ue to his men as they haue deserued to defende & ke­pe y^e lawe & the fayth & euer to do well aft{er} his myght. And yf the strength of his body fayleth hym thā to kepe the myght of his courage by y^e whiche he shal be y^e more assured in all his nedys. ¶ And sayd the kynge that gouerneth hȳ & his realme well by his wysdom is worthy to be gretly praysed & lauded. ¶ And sayde to Alexander serche to wynne the ryches that be not transytoryes the lyfe that is not moeuable the kynge­dom that can not be taken away from the / & the euerlastynge ioye & be pytefull but not so moche that thou [Page] stande in daungyer therby / do punycyon & Iustyce to them that haue deserued it without delay trauayl the to fortefye the lawe for in that is the loue and drede of god & whan thou shalt be compelled to take vengeaū­ce of thyn enemy put it not ouer tyll an other daye for the fortune an condycyons of this worlde moeue and chaunge oftentymes sodaynly. ¶ And sayde y^u ought not to hate hym that sayth the sothe nor to chyde hȳ that kepeth the fayth but he that shall do contrary to the fayth be thou his enemye w^t all thy power of thy realme. ¶ And sayd it is better that thou correcte thy selfe and amende the after the example of thy prede­cessours than thy successours sholde amende them af­ter the example of the. ¶ And sayde worshyp the good men & therby thou shalt haue the loue of the people & set not all thy wyll in this worlde in the whiche thou mayest not longe abyde. ¶ And sayd worshyp sapyen­ce & fortefye it by good maystres / dyscyples / & scolers worshyp them paye for theyr expences and bepe them of thy household after that thou shalte se they shall be profyted & spede in the science / & thou shalte fynde that grete profyt and worshyp shall come to the therfore.

¶ And sayde he is of bygge & stronge courage of good dyscrecyon & laudable faythe that bereth pacyentely all his aduersytes for a man can not be knowen in his prosperyte. ¶ And sayde thou ought to thynke y^t the wedest of all thyn enemyes is stronger than thy selfe. ¶ And sayd thou ought to cherysshe thy knygh­tes & thy yomanry & to haue them in as greate loue in tyme of paes as in tyme of warre / for yf thou set lytel by them in tyme of paes / thy shall forsake the whan thou shalte haue more nede of them. ¶ And sayd the [Page] gretest profyt that thou canst do in thy realme is to take awaye the wycked people & to rewarde the good ¶ And sayde a man is of euyll condycyon that taketh no hede but to the vyces & fautes of other in dysprey­synge of them. ¶ And sayd worshypfull deth is better than shamefull lyfe. ¶ And sayd the sapyence of a mā of lowe degre is worshyp & the folye of hym that is of hyghe degre is a shame & auaryce is the thynge that taketh a way the name of gentylnesse. ¶ And sayde y^e good prynce ought to gouerne the people as his good predecessours haue done & to loue & cherysshe the good & true people more than his tresour or other wordely goodes & to delite hym in that y^t he hath ryght wysly and not wrongfully. ¶ And sayd no man ought to be ashamed to do iustyce for yf the kynge be not iustycyal he is not kynge but he is vyolēt & rapax. ¶ And sayd the wycked men obeye for drede / & the good for theyr goodenes. ¶ And sayd men ought to do well to y^e good people & to chastyse the wycked by rygour. And sayde wrath ought not be to sharpe ne to swete and he wro­te an epystole to Alexander that the kynges ben wor­shypped for .iij. thynges / y^t is wytte for instruccyon of good lawes for conquestes of landes & regyons & for to peoplysshe & destroye desertes & wyldernes / and he wrote also to Alexandre that he shold not be wyllynge to correcte all mennes fawtes to rygorously for it lyeth not entyerly in mannes power to kepe hym fro doynge euyll & therfore it is good somtyme to forgy­ue errours. And yf it be so that punycyon must be do­ne men ought too shewe that they doo it by compul­syon to amende and punysshe the errours and not in manere nor by waye of vengeaunce. And he sawe [Page] a man that had his hāde smytten of for thefte that he had done. And he sayd for as moche as that man had taken from other suche as was not theyr owne / men haue take from hym that / that was his. ¶ And sayd thou mayst not so wele cause thy people to loue the as to cherysshe them & shewe them ryghtwysnesse and yf thou dost the contrary though thou hast the lorde­shyp of theyr bodyes thou hast not the lorshyp of theyr hertes ne of theyr courages / & that shalte thou fynde whā thou callest vpon theyr seruice at thy nede wher­fore it is a grete daunger for a kynge to do iniurye and do make his people hate hȳ. ¶ And sayd he is ryght happy that can chastyse hym selfe takynge example by other. ¶ And sayd fortyfye your soules with good dedys & depart you from couetyses whiche dystroyeth the feble courages / there is no thynge that maketh a man lesse to be set by than to preyse & boste hymselfe of his good dedys. And it was axed of hym what is y^e cause that wysemen wyll not be wroth & ony mā wyl teche them / and he answered for as moche as wyse­men knowen y^e scyence is a ryght profytable thynge. ¶ And sayde he that wyll not nor can not do well at lest ought to kepe hȳ from euyll doynge. ¶ And sayde to his discyples / loke that ye haue .iiij. eeres / two for to herken and lerne scyences & profytable thȳges and the other two for your other wordely besynesses. The moost profytable thynge to the worlde is the deth of y^e euyll people. ¶ And sayd a mā may not be so wel kno­wen as in grete auctoryte. ¶ And sayd in all thynges the leste quantyte is the lyghter to bere saue onely in scyences for he that hath moost therof y^e lyghter may he bere it / and it was axed of hym what was the [Page] moost couenable thynge for a dyscrete man to haue / and he answered that that sholde abyde with hym yf he were escaped out of adrowned shyp in y^e see. And sayd men ought to loue to lerne the best of the sciēces as the bees loue the swettest of the floures. ¶ And he had a noble & worshypfull herytage of the whiche he lete other haue the gouernaūce & wold not go theder hymselfe and it was axed hym the cause. And he an­swered that he that ofteneth goth to se his herytages hath more dyspleasures. ¶ And sayd the tonge of a foole is the keye of his secret. ¶ And sayd to one that was slouthfull and wolde not lerne sythen thou wyll not take the payne for to lerne thou shalt haue y^e pay­ne to be leude and vnconnynge. ¶ And sayd kepe the from the felowshyp of hym that knoweth not hȳ selfe they that ben dayly enclyned & vtterly dysposed to vyces may not encresse in good ne proufyte in scyence.

¶ And sayd yf thou wyll habandone to thy body all his wyll thou shalt be the worse bothe in helth & in all other thynges and atte laste thy soule shall be damp­ned therfore He that is entyerly enclyned to do forny­cacyon may not be praysed ne come to good ende.

¶ And sayd a mery man wyll not lyghtely be wroth Alyberall man may not well be enuyous ne a coue­tous man content w^t his rychesse. ¶ And sayd y^e man is preued and tryed by his werkes as the gold by the fyer. One of hys dyscyples made to hym an euyll re­porte of one of his felawes to whom he sayd I wyll not byleue thyn euyl wordes ayenst thy felawe nor I wyll not byleue his euyll wordes ayenst the. ¶ And sayde lyke as the rayn may not proufyte to the corne that is sowen vpon the drye stones nomore can studyenge [Page] auayle to a foole / a mannes tonge she weth his wytte or his folye. Experyēce ought to correcte a mā & to helpe hym to lyue wel. ¶ And sayd sapyence maketh rychesse to be fayre & hydeth pouerte. It was axed of hym what was fayre spekynge / & he answered to speke lytell & laudably & to gyue resonable an­sweres / & he wrote thus to alexander / ye be a noble & myghty kynge & more myghty than ye were & shall encrece yf ye directe & gouerne wel & iustely your people / & in so doynge the people shall obeye you / but yf ye be an extorcyoner & take all theyr good fro them than ye shall be lorde of the poore people / & than shall ye be lyke hym y^e hath leuer gouerne the dom bestes than the men / ne there is no thynge so couenable to a kȳge as to coueyte vnduely the goodes of his people. ¶ And sayd he y^t hath a lytel of trouth desyred to ha­ue more. ¶ And sayd reason maketh a man to be mo­re souerayn thā bestes & he y^t hath no reason is but a beest in many thynges / the newest is y^e best but loue is contray for the elder it is the more is it worth / and one abrakyn lord of scyences axed hym what thynge a mā ought to lerne fyrst y^t seketh sapiēce / to whome he answered y^e gouernement of the soule in as moche as she is euerlastinge & more noble without ony comparyson than ony thȳge that we haue thā they axed hȳ how may y^e soule acquere sapyēce & he answered as a seke man seketh his phisycyen & as a blyndemā enquyreth of the colours to them y^t se them / & it was axed of hȳ how a soule myght se herselfe / & he answered the soule y^t lacketh sapyēce can se nothynge as y^e eyen w^tout lyght y^t neyther se the selfe nor other. And sayd all maner of thynges haue propertes & the pro­perte [Page] of discrecyō is to chose wel the good fro the euyl ¶ And sayd the lordshypes wonne by study daūgers & peynes & so kept ought well contynue & prospere / & those that be lyghtly wōne & kept in Ioye & pleasaū­ce come to a lytyll profyt at laste / & we se comynly the townes wherin the inhabitauntes take grete labour be well maynteyned & encresse with grete rychesses / & the twones ful of pleasaunce & delyces fal to ruyne and destruccyon. ¶ And sayd hastenesse of speche maketh men to erre. ¶ And sayde I meruayll how he y^t men laude without cause / accepte it and is pleased with all / and he of whom men saye euyll w^tout cause is angry with all. ¶ And sayde loke that thou be not as y^e boulter whiche casteth out the floure and kepeth the branne. ¶ And sayde men ought not to take the gouernaunce of the poeple to a chylde to hym also y^t can not anowe the nedys of the poore people to hym that is couetous to hym that wyll werke without delyberacyon ne hym that is vengeable. ¶ And say­de there is no dyfference betwyxte a chylde of age & a chylde of maners as of condycyon what age that euer he be of for the condycyons of men aren know­en and shewed by dedys and not by age. ¶ And say­de it is nedefull to a man yf he wyll be good that he be able of hym selfe to knowe trouth and doo it in de­de or elles that he lerne it of other / for he that of hym selfe can not vnderstande it nor wyll lerne it can not be good. ¶ And sayde goodenesse is dyuyded in thre maners / the fyrste is in the body / the .ii. in sou­les / and the thyrde in the operacyons wherof the mooste noble is the goodenes of the soule / for in vsynge the vertue there of is founde and knowen the [Page] forme in good dedys. ¶ And sayd a man fyndeth sa­pyence and good condycyons in longe lernynge of very scyence. ¶ And sayd there be many persones that knowen the good werkes & doo theym not whiche resemblen the seke folkes that axe helpe and coūseyll of the leche and do no thynge there after / and therfore y^e bodyes ben without helthe & the soules without bles­sednes. ¶ And sayd one may knowe the inwarde dysposycyons of a man by hys outwarde operacyons.

¶ And sayd well doynge is a laudable thynge neuerthelesse it is some what harde to doo but lyghtely one may do euyll as an archyer fayle of y^e butte is no wonder but to hytte the prycke is a grete mastry. ¶ And sayde in diuers maner we may be euyll but we may not be good but in one way. & sayd defaute of wytte causeth many harmes & maketh many men to fall by ignoraūce not knowȳge what thȳge to be done or lefte ¶ And sayd aged folkes loue to gyder and so do not chyldren / for olde folkes haue theyr delectacōns lyke and yonge folkes in diuers wayes. ¶ And sayd a grete acōplysshynge of mēnes felycyte is to be well fren­ded than a man without felowshyp can not haue hole felycyte. ¶ And sayd euery man that nede of frendes whether he standeth in good cas or in bad yf he stan­deth in euyll condycyon they for to helpe hym / & yf he stande in good cas he to make mery hym & cherysshe them that they may helpe hym to resyste inconuenyētes y^t myght fall. ¶ And sayd none hath delectacyon in iustyce but y^e iust man / none hath fauour to sapyēce but the wyseman / and none loueth frendeshyp but the true frende. ¶ And sayd the wycked men sustey­ne theyr perilles by theyr bodely strength & the good [Page] men suffre theyr perylles pacyentely by the vertue of theyr soules whiche pacyence cometh not by myght of arme nor of hande nor none other mēbre / but onely of grace of the soule / & therby to rysyste ayenste coue­tyse & other grieues of this worlde trustyng therfore after to come to blesse. & he wrote to kynge Alexander in this forme thou oughest to obeye well the cōmaū­dementes of god / for he hath gyuē the thy desyres & that that thou hast axed of hym. ¶ And sayd sapyēce is lyfe & ignoraunce is deth / & therfore he y^t is sapyēt is a lyue for he vnderstandeth what he doth and he that is ignoraūt is deed for he vnderstādeth not what he doth. ¶ And sayd y^e antyquite of the tyme maketh the werkes olde and bydeth nothynge but renomme whiche resteth in the hertes of successours / it is nedefull than to conquere good renōmee & therby shall endure noblesse. ¶ And sayd lesynge is the sekenesse of the soule whiche can not be heled but by the meane of reasō which lyeth neuer. ¶ And sayd a moche wyseman is he that pronounceth not the thȳges vnto y^e tyme that he is present that wyll vnderstande them. And y^e best speker is he that speketh not tyll he is wel purueyed what he shall saye. And the best werkemā is he that begynneth not his werke vnto the tyme y^t he hath well disputed & auysed it in his hert neyther is none that ought to haue so moche thought as the wyseman / for it is necessayre to hym to be purueyed and certayn of his werkes. ¶ And sayd men are mo­re enclyned to couetyse than to reason / for couetyse hath accompanyed them from theyr chyldehode and reason cometh not to them tyll that they be of parfy­te age. ¶ And sayth chyldren hath theyr maysters [Page] whā they teche them for they knowe not what good may befall them therby / but thynke onely on the la­bour of the peyne of theyr lernynge. And y^t sayd Ary­stotell called Alexander axynge hym questyōs vpon the gouernaunce of the lordes and of the people / to whom Alexander gaue good answers / but neuerthe­lesse Aristoteles bet hym with a rod / & it was axed of hym why he had bet hym without cause / & he āswered this chylde is lyke & able to be a grete lorde and a myghty kynge / and I haue bete hym all onely for to holde hym lowly and ī mekenesse for he shall be to son proude. ¶ And sayde yf thou canst dyrect an other dyrecte hym as thy selfe. And a yonge man axed hym why he was so poore / to whom he answered / my pouerte hath no thynge offenced mene doth me no har­me / but thyn hath done y^e & shall do harmes ynough ¶ And sayd the realmes ben mainteyned by y^e lawes

ordeyned by the kynge & prynces. ¶ And sayd the kynges and prynces ben susteyned and vp holde by knyghthode / and the knyghtes ben mayntey­ned by the moneye / and moneye cometh of y^e peo­pie / and the people is go­uerned by Iustice with­out whiche noo realme may prospere.

ALexander y^e grete was sone to Phylype kynge of Macedone [Page] whiche Phylyppe reygned .vij. yere. And the sayde Alexander began to reygne in y^e .xviii. yere of his age ¶ And he sayd to his people in this wyse. Fayre lor­des I wyll in noo wyse be contrarye to youre wylles ne to your dedys / but I shewe to you y^t I hate frau­des and malyces / & as I haue loued you durȳge my faders lyfe so wyll I do in tyme comynge. & I bothe counseyll and pray you that ye drede god & obye hym as souerayne of all / and chese hym for kynge and be moost obeyssaunt to hym that shall best puruaye for the good estate of his people / & that shall be moost de­bonayr & mercyfull to poore folkes that best shall ke­pe Iustyce & the ryght of y^e feble ayenst the myghty / hym also that shall best dispose for y^e publyke well / & for no delectacyon of worldly pleasaūces shall not be slowfull to kepe and defende you / & by whom ye shal be defended / and all euyll & harmes by the meane of his good dedys shall be destroyed & hym that moost hardely shall put hym forth for to destroye your ene­myes for suche ought be chosen kynge & none other. And whan his people had herde the reasons aboue sayd and knowen his grete discrecyon wytte & vnder stādynge they were gretely a meruayled & answered to hym thus. We haue herde & vnderstande the grete reasons & haue receyued & receyue thy good coūseyll & therfore we wyll & beseche the y^t thou reygne & ha­ue the lordshyp vpon vs durynge thy lyfe / we hope y^t there is none y^t hath so well deserued to be our kynge And thus they chose hym to theyr kynge & to theyr lorde & crowned hym & gaue hym theyr blessynges & prayed to god that he wolde blesse & mayntene hym. [Page] To whome he sayd. I haue herde the prayer that ye haue made for me besechynge to god that he wyll stedefaste the loue of me in your hertes and corages / & that by noo maner of delectacyon he suffre me to doo thynge ayenst your proufytes ne to my dysworshyp. And sone after he sente lettres to all the prynces and good townes of his realme. And whā he had sent let­tres one Dayre kynge of Perse and of Mede sent to Alexandre for trybute lyke as he hadde of his fader. And he sent hym worde that y^e henne that leyd that egge is deed. And after this Alexander made grete conquestes & whan he had conquered ynde he wente to a countre callyd bragman / the whiche whan they wyst of his comynge they sent many wysemē to hym whiche salewed hym and sayd. Syr Alexander thou haste no cause to werre vpon vs ne to be euyll wyllyn­ge for we ben both poore and meke and we haue noo thynge but onely sapyence / the whiche yf thou wylt haue pray to god that he wyll gyue her to the. For by batayll thou shalt not haue her. And whan Alxean­der herde theym say so he made all his Oost to tarye and with few of his knyghtes wēte within the sayd coūtre for to enquyre further of the trouth. And whan he entred within the same grounde he founde many poore folkes women & chyldre all naked gaderynge herbes in the feldes & he axed of them many questy­ons to whiche they answered ryght wysely and than he bad them axe hym some thynge that myght do them good and to all theyr people & he wolde gyue it them gladly. And than they sayd syr we axe the none other thynge but that thou wylt gyue vs euerlaynge fe. Tyhan Allexander answered & sayd how myght [Page] a man make other mennes lyues euerlastynge whan he may not lengthe his owne lyfe an houre / & that ye axe of me is in no mannes power that lyueth. Than they sayd to hym syth thou hast good knowleche therof / wherfore trauaylest thou thy selfe to destroye all the worlde / and to gadre all the worldely tresours and wotest not whan thou must leue thē. Than Alexāder sayde to them I do not all these thynges that ye saye of myselfe / but god hath sente me thorught all y^e worl­de for to exalte & magnyfye his lawe and to destroye them that byleue not in hym. And somtyme Alexan­der wente dysguysed vysytynge his lordes & enquy­rynge of theyr dedys. And vpon a tyme he came in to a towne of his owne / & sawe two men of the same towne before a Iuge pletynge of the whiche one sayd to the Iuge. Syr Iuge I haue bought an hous of this man / and longe after I haue founde within the same a tresour within therthe whiche is not mȳ / & I haue offred to delyuer it to hym / & he hath refused it / wherfore syr I beseche the that he be cōpelled to take it / for as moche as he knoweth it is not myn for I haue no ryght therto. Than the Iuge cōmaunded his aduerse partye to answere to the same & than he sayd / syr Iuge that same tresour was neuer myn / but he hath edyfyed in that place that was before comyn to all them that wolde haue edyfyed therin / and therfore I haue no ryght to take it / & than they both requyred the Iuge that he wolde take it to hym selfe to whom he answered & sayde / sythen it is so as ye saye that ye haue no ryght to whom y^e heritage hath longed & yet longeth where the tresour was foūde how shold I haue ony ryght therto that am but a straunger in y^e caas [Page] & neuer afore herde speke therof / ye wolde excuse you therof & gyue me y^e charge of the tresour that is euyll do. Than he axed of hym that had founde the tresour whether he had ony chyldrē whiche answered he had a sone / & he axed that other in lyke wyse / & he sayd he had a doughter / than the Iuge sayd & Iuged y^t a ma­ryage sholde be made betwene them & that they shold haue y^e tresour by y^t meane. And whan Alexander herde this Iugement he had grete meruayl therof And sayd thus to the Iuge. I trow that there is not in all the worlde so ryght wyse ne so true a Iuge as y^u arte & the Iuge that knewe hym not sayd & axed of hym whether ony Iuge wyll haue done other wyse ye cer­taynly sayd Alexander in many landes / than y^e Iuge hauynge grete meruayll therof axed of hym whether it rayned & y^e sōne dyd shyne in tho landes as though he wolde haue sayd / that it was meruayl y^t god shold sende ony lyght or rayne or other good thynges to thē that do not rygt & true Iustyce / and therof Alexander had gretter meruayll than before and sayd that there were but fewe suche people vpon erthe as they were in that lande. And as alexander wente out of y^e lande he passed thrugh a cyte in whiche all y^e houses of that cyte were of one heyghte and before the dore of euery hous was a grete pyte or graue in whiche cyte there was no Iuge / wherof he had grete maruayll & axed of the inhabitauntes therin wherfore suche thynges sholde serue the whiche answered hym a sayd. Fyrste for the outragyous heyght of houses loue & Iustyce can not be longe in a towne amonge the people & they sayd that the pytes or graues were theyr owne hou­ses to whiche they sholde sone go to & there dwell vn­tyll [Page] the daye of Iugement / & as touchynge that they had no Iuge they sayd that they made good Iustyce of them selfe wherfore they neded no Iuge. Than Alexander departed from thē ryght well pleased / and afore his deth he wrote a lettre vnto his moder desy­rynge her to make no sorowe for hym and soone after Alexander dyed and was put in a coffre of golde / and buryed in alysādre & he was borne thyder with grete reuerence by kynges prynces and other greate lordes that kept and sulfylled his testamēt as he had ordey­ned. Than stert vp one of the gretest lordes of them that kept hym & sayd thus / they that neuer wepte for other kynges now ought to wepe for this same & tho that neuer hadde meruayll of aduersyte sholde now haue graete meruayll of the dethe of this kynge / and he desyred the other lordes that they sholde saye some good thynge for to cōforte the people that was gretly dysmayed and troubled for the deth of kynge Alexan­der as for the dethe of the worthyest kynge that euer was. Than one of them sayd kynge Alexander was wont to kept golde and syluer / and now gold & syluer kepe hym. And he sayd it bycause of the chest that his body laye in whiche was of golde. And another sayd Alexander is departed from synnes and fylthes and now his soule is with the good soules whiche ben puryfyed. And another sayd Alexander was wnto to chastyse all men / and now he is chastysed. And an­other sayd the kynges were wont to drede hym. And now the moost poorest man of all the worlde dredeth hym not. And than another sayd / yesterdaye all the erthe suffysed not to Alexander / and now the lengthe of his body suffyseth hym. And another [Page] sayde Alexander myght here yesterdaye and noo body durst speke ayenst his wyll & now euery mā may spe­ke and he hereth not. And another sayd the more that the state of kynge Alexander was gretter & more ex­cellent the more is thoccasyon of his deth greuous & pytefull. Another sayde tho that sawe not yesterdaye Alexander fered hym gretely & now tho y^t se hym fere hym not. Another sayd Alexander was he whose ene­myes durst not come nere hȳ / & now his frendes dys­preyse & wyll not se hym. And whan alexander began to reygne he was but .viij. yere of age / and he reygned xvii. yere of y^e whiche he employed .ix. yeres in batayl & in conquerynge and .viii. yere he restyd hȳ visytynge the groundes & landes y^t he had conquered / & he had victorye vpon .xxiii. mane of langages / & in two yeres he sought all thoryent & occydent, & the nombre of his knyghtes were commynly of his retenew / & at his wages .CCC.xiii. thousande without yomanrye and other men necessary to his warres. And he deyed in y^e age of .xxxv. yeres & he was of sangweyn colour his face full of pockys. One of his eyen graye & y^t other black / small & sharpe teth / vysage lyke a lyon / & was of grete strength & loued moche warres fro his chyld hode vnto his lyues ende. And he cōmaunded that the people sholde worshyp god & kepe them from synne.

¶ And sayd the worlde is not susteyned but comynly by scyence. & the realmes be not dyrected but by y^e sa­me / & all thynges be gouerned by reason. ¶ And sayd sapyence is messagyer of reason. And it befell y^t Alexā­der passed thrugh a towne wherin .viii. kynges had reygned afore / & he axed yf ony of theyr kynrede was alyue & they of the twone sayde ye / a sone of one of the [Page] sayde kynges / & Alexander desyred to se hym / and the people sayd to Alexander that he was euer in y^e chyr­cheyerde. And Alexander wente to se hym / & axed of hym wherfore he abode so in the thyrcheyerde & why he wolde not take vpon hym suche estate as his fader had & his auncestres as other men doo seynge that it was the wyll of all the people. And the yonge chylde answered & sayd. O ryght boūteuous kynge I haue here a thȳg to do y^e whiche whā I haue done it I shal do thy cōmaundement to whom than Alexāder axed what thȳge it was that he had to do there. And he answered I am sechynge the bones of my fader & myn aūcestres kynges for to put them a part fro the other but I fynde them all so semblable that I can not kno­we one from the other. Than sayd Alexander to hym Thou oughtest to acquyre worshyp in this worlde / & yf thou haddest good & stronge corage thou myghtest haue all thy faders good & of thy predecessours & all theyr honours. To whom y^e yonge chylde answered and sayd I haue good herte. And alexāder axed hym wherin / & he sayd bycause that I haue founde lyfe w^t out deth yougth without age / ryches without pouer­te Ioye without trouble and helthe without sekenes. Certaynly sayd Alexander of all these thynges haue I none. Than sayd the chylde yf ye wyll haue them axe them of hym that hath them & he maye gyue thē & none other. Than alexander sayd that he hadde ne­uer seen man of so grete dyscrecyon. Alexander vsed euery daye to be in a certayn place for to here the com­playntes of euery body. And it was soo that vpon a daye onely that there came none to complane vnto hȳ and therfore he wolde not that daye sholde be put in y^e [Page] nombre of the dayes of his reygne & whan he was re­dy to fyght with kynge dayre it was tolde hym that the same Dayre had w^t hym more than .CCC. thou­sand good fyghtȳge men. Wherto he answered & sayd a good cooke ought neuer to be abasshed to se in his kechyn many shepe amonge other bestes / & the patry­arkes & prelates that were for that tyme came & sayd to hym god hath gyuē to the lordshyp vpon many re­almes regyons & coūtres to thentente that thou shol­dest haue many chyldren begoten of thy body for to haue the successyon of the same after thy deth & ther­fore it were good y^t thou sholdest haue many wyues.

To whom he answered that it sholde torne hym to gret shame that had ouercome all the myghtyest men of the world for to be dyscomfyted by women. There came to hym a poore man well and wysely spekynge whiche was poorly arayed. To whō Alexander sayd I haue meruayl y^t thy clothynge is not after thy spe­che for there is bytwene them grete dyfference. Thā the poore man sayd. O myghty kynge I may of my selfe lerne to speke & to haue reason with me / and ye may resonably cloth me. Than Alexander made hym to be clothed w^t one of his best gownes. ¶ Also there passed a theef byfore Alexander that was goynge to be hanged whiche sayd. O worthy kȳge saue my lyfe for I repente me sore of my mysdedes. Than Alexan­der cōmaūded that he sholde be hanged whyle he had good repentaunce. ¶ Also vpon a tyme one axed of hym .x. pyeces of gold. To whom Alexander sayde / y^u art not worthy to haue so moche / and he sayd to hym agayn. Syr yf I am not worthy to haue so moche yet are ye able to gyue it me. And Alexander axed of ary­stotell [Page] what thynge a good and a manly kynge ought contynuelly to do. And he answered that he ought to thynke euery nyght to the good gouernaunce of his people and the daye folowynge to put it in effecte.

And it was axed of hym what thynge is moost delec­table in conquerynge of landes and of countrees / and he sayde the moost delectacyon was to gyue largely and recompense them that haue done good seruyce to hym. ¶ And he axed of Arystotell by what meaae hy sholde be counseyled and he answered and sayde / ordeyne vpon the gouernement of thy housholde hym that haht many seruauntes and subgettes and can well rule and gouerne them / and make procurour & receyuour of thy money that hath grete lyuelode and spēdeth dyscretely and notably. ¶ And a patryarke axed of hym what he wolde do with so many men as he had. And he answered I that am lorde of them that ben great and myghty lordes maye well forbere to be lorde of theyr seruauntes. And there came two men before hym dyfferent of opynyons to whom he sayde. The sentence that shall please that one shall displease that other / and therfore consente ye to the trouth and that shall please you bothe. And it was axed of hym why he worshypped more his mayster thā his fader and he answered for as moche as I ha­ue of my mayster euerlastȳge lyfe / and I haue of my fader lyfe but for a certaȳ tyme. And whā dayres doughters were taken it was tolde hȳ y^t they were ryght fayre & therfore he wolde not se them ferynge to haue done ony dyshonest thynges sayenge that greate dys­honour were vnto hym that had ouercome soo many notable & manly men in the bataylles yf he sholde be [Page] ouercome by women beynge in his prysons. And it byfelle y^t one made a longe sermon before hȳ whiche noyed moche to Alexāder wherfore he sayd the predi­cacōn is not to be lauded y^t endureth ouer the powre herkeners / but y^t is good y^t ēdureth after y^e possybilyte of them y^t hereth it. And it was axed of hȳ how men myght acquyre the loue of other men. and he answe­red in doynge them good or elles at lest in doynge thē none harme. ¶ And sayd men somtyme throue better by theyr enemyes than by theyr frendes. And it was axed of hym how he myght be so myghty cōsyderȳge that he was so yonge of age / & he sayde for as moche as I haue trauayled to acquyre frendes and gyuē to myn enemyes & by this maner I haue power vpon them all. ¶ And sayd it is a grete losse to a man to lose his frendes & more than to lese his sone or his tresour ¶ And sayd the frendes that be acquyred by good de­dys ben better than tho that ben acquyred by force / & vpon a tyme as Alexander wente to sporte hym pry­uely certayn men beynge at a wyndowe keste water vpon hym wenynge that he had ben one of theyr fe­lowes / & whan they saw that it was Alexander they were gretly aferd / & Alexāder bad them be not afred sayenge that they had wette none but hym that they thought to wete. And as arystotell taught many kȳ­ges sones with Alexāder he axed ones of one of them what shalt thou gyue me whā y^u shalt be a kynge the whiche sayd I shall make the my grete gouernour & in lyke wyse he axed of an other / whiche sayd I shall gyue to the halfe my realme. & than he axed of Alexander / whiche answered hym thus Maystre enquere of me no this day vpon that that I haue to do to morow [Page] for whan I shall fe y^t I neuer saw I shal thynke that I neuer thought but yf I reygne as thou sayst than I shall doo as thou shalt se & thynke to be couenable / & than Arystotell sayd to hym / certaynly I wot well that thou shalte be a graete & a myghty kynge for thy face & thy nature sheweth it so. Alexander sayd to one that longe had ben his lyeutenaūt & had neuer rebu­ked hym of no vyce I am nothynge pleased with thy seruyce. Why syr sayd his lyeutenaunt. Bycause sayd alexander y^t I am a man as another & erre & haue er­red many a tyme syth thou came in my seruyce and y^u sawest neuer no fawte in me / therfore thou art not suche as I ought to haue to be my lieutenaūt for thou art not wyse yf thou hast seen & knowen my fawtes & not correcte me therof thou art not trewe to me. And he sayd reasō letteth not to acquyre scyence but slouth disprayseth it. And some axed of a wyseman called nychomake what was the cause that mē obeyed so lyghtely to Alexander. And he sayd bycause that he was vertuous / that he had well kepte Iustyce / & had ben of good conuersacyon and of ryght excellent gouerne­ment. And there were two men whiche axed euerych of them to haue to his wyfe y^e doughter of a ryche mā of whiche two one was ryche & the other poore / & the fader gaue the doughter to the poore man / wherfore alexander axed of hym why he dyd so and he sayde by cause the ryche is ignoraunt & lyke to become a poore man / & y^e poore is wyse & able to become a ryche man Alexander axed of a wyse philosopher by what mea­ne the realme were well dyrected and holded in good estate / & he answered by obeysaūce of the people and the Iustyce of the kynge. And as alexander fought [Page] ones in batayll many womē came in the same batayl ayenst hym than he withdrewe hym hastely & sayde to his mē yf he shold haue vyctory of this batayl where these women ben it were no worshyp to vs / and yf they had the victory than it were to vs a {per}petuall shame wherfore we shall not fyght ayenst them whyle y^e women ben there. ¶ And sayd it is a peryllous thyn­ge a man to abyde so longe in the see that the storme & tempest come vpon hym y^e may well departe duryng the fayre weder In lyke wyse it is of them that dwel in prynces & kynges houses. ¶ And sayd it is a foule thynge to a man to haue grete wordes without effect & it is a fayre thynge to hym that put his werkes before his wordes. ¶ And sayd y^e greattest & moost lau­dable lyberte that is to a man is to kepe hym fro couetyse. And whan his fader commaunded hym that he sholde gladly here the cōmaundementes of his may­ster.

He sayde he wolde not onely here them but he wolde fulfyll them w^t glad her­te to his power. ¶ And sayd it is worse a mā to haue de­faute of discrecyon than of rychesses.

Tholom was a ryght wyseman & well vnderstanden & in especyall in foure scyences y^t is to wytte geometrye / musike arysmetryke / & astrologye / and he made many good bokes a­monge y^e whiche one is cal­led [Page] Almageste the whiche is of astrologye / & he was borne in Alexandrye the gretest cyte that is in y^e lande of Egypte / & there he made his consyderacyons in y^e tyme of kynge Adrian and made his diccyons vpon the consyderacyons at Roodes he was not kynge al­beit that many personnes call hym kynge. And he ly­ued .lxxviij. yere. ¶ And sayd he is wyse that dyspo­seth his tongue to speke of god / & he y^t knowketh hym not is the moost foole of all. ¶ And sayd he that is en­clyned to his wyll is nygh to the Ire of god / & the ne­rer y^t a man approcheth the deth the more he ought to laboure and trauayll to do wel. ¶ And sayd sapyē­ce abydeth no lenger in the hert of a foole than a fleyn­ge thynge that maye not tarye in noo place. ¶ And sayd good wytte and good dyscrecyon ben felowes.

¶ And sayd a man of good sapyence can not dye / ne a man of good vnderstandynge can neuer be poore.

¶ And sayd sapyence is a tree that wexeth grene in y^e hert & fructifyeth in the tonge. ¶ And sayd beware y^t thou dispute not with hym that hath no knowlege ne gyue not thy counseyll but to hym that asketh it / ne tell not thy secret but to hym that can kepe it. ¶ And sayd he that wyll lyue well ought not to kepe in his herte all his aduersytees. ¶ And sayd the mayster of a greate house hath many melancolyes. ¶ And sayde speke wysely as well for thy selfe as for all other.

¶ And sayde yf thou mayst not eschewe somtyme to be wroth at lest lete not thy wrath last longe. ¶ And sayd the [...]ertes of good people bē the castelles and for teresses of secretes. ¶ And sayd a man y^t is not to be corrected by other men may surely correcte them of theyr fautes. ¶ And sayd he y^t axed coūseyl of y^e wyse [Page] man and doth there after whether it turneth hym to good or to euyll he ought not to be blamed therof.

¶ And sayde it is better a kynge to dyrecte his people than to haue grete habondaūce of knyghtes. ¶ And sayd surete putteth a waye sorowe & fere empescheth gladnes. ¶ And sayde the wordes of god auaylen not to them that haue put all theyr herte to the worlde.

¶ And sayde it is to grete folye a mā to thynke moche on the thynge y^t passeth his vnderstandynge. ¶ And sayd men ben of .ii. natures som wyll neuer be cōtent howbeit that they fynde ynough / & some other seke & fynde nothynge. ¶ And sayd men cause to acquere & gete money and money is the cause to acquere men.

¶ And sayd he of the whiche the scyence excedeth his wytte may be lykened to a feble shepherde that hath agrete heepe of sheep in his kepinge. ¶ And sayd he y^t hath put all his entente to his flesshely delytes is mo­re bounde than a keytyf. ¶ And sayd the hygher that a man is exalted in his lordshyp the more greuous it shall be to hym to fall fro the same. ¶ And sayd thou­ght is the key of certaynete. ¶ And sayde the refuses of a nygard ben better than the largesses of a prody­gall waster. ¶ And sayd thou canst do nothynge so acceptable to god as to do well to hȳ y^t hath offēsed ayēst the. ¶ And sayd yf y^u wyl be wyse be not in felowshyp w^t foolys / but be euer in felowshyp w^t them that ben wyser than thy selfe. ¶ And sayd the soule can not be deceyued vnto y^e tyme y^t y^e body taketh his ende. And sayd folye is y^e greatest enemy y^t ony body may haue. ¶ And sayd good wyll is y^e foūdemēt of all good wer­kes & good werkes is y^e messagyer in the other world ¶ And sayd he y^t kepeth y^e good opynyon & leueth the [Page] euyll gyueth grete reste to his herte. ¶ And sayd seke­nes is the pryson of the body & saluacyon of the soule.

ASsaron sayde that a kynge in his kȳg­dome maye be dōmaged & hurted & specyally by fyue thynges / the fyrste is by to grete dryenesse / as to be .iii. yere without rayne / the se­conde is by expēdynge mo­re thā his lyuelode cometh to / y^e thyrde is to vse to mo­che women wyne & huntȳg the fourthe is to be of euyll maners & of wicked condy­cyons & also to be to cruell & vengeable / the fyfte is to haue many enemyes. ¶ And sayd the moost notable maners and condycyons & the moost profytable is to be lyberall & true of his worde. ¶ And sayd he y^t is ly­beral may not lyue amisse. the true speker may not be shamed of his spekynge / the meke & lowly man can not he hated / the sobre man can not be seke / & he that well & dylygently vnderstondeth to his besynes may neuer repente therof / & bryngeth hym to good perfec­cyon. ¶ And sayde / a kynge or a prynce ought not to trust them that dispreyse hym ne in hym that is couetous in hym that is come from grete pouertye to gre­te rychesses in hym from the whiche he hath takē the goodes & lordshyppes in hym that hath suffred ma­my domages & hurtes for the royall mageste & ordy­naūce / ne in hym that hath made ony alyaunce & pro­mysse [Page] with his enemyes and he ought to be well wa­re that he gyue no power to none suche as tho aboue sayde. ¶ And sayde it is an impossyble thynge that the man may kepe hym from fallynge in some faute that is exalted with a kynge in graete magnyfycence without desert. ¶ And sayde whan a wyse prynce knoweth that ony of his men hath offensed agaynst hym he ought hastely to enquere the trouth of the dede / and the quantite of his trespas / and yf it be done wylfully or by ignoraunce / and also yf he was wont to do so / and yf he be lyke to fall therin agayne / and vpon euery of the same poyntes to remedye hastely.

¶ And sayde the kynges seruauntes ought to shewe in seruynge hym theyr good vertues theyr fayth the noblesse of theyr kynrede to thentente that the kynge may better knowe them and do to euery of them as he shall haue deserued. ¶ And sayde yf a kynge lo­ueth and cheryssheth the vntrewe and wycked men as them that ben good and true he ought not to be called kynge for he is not lyke to reygne longe. ¶ And sayde yf the kynges coūseyllours his physycyen and his confessoure deleth with other thynges than lon­geth to theyr offyces the kynge shall contynuelly be endommaged / seke of body and of the soule / and lyke to come to a foule ende. ¶ And sayde he that sayth trouthe to his leche / and he that counceylleth with his frende and telleth hym not the trouth of his coun­seyll / he destruyeth hym selfe. ¶ And Assaron sayd a kynge sholde not commytte to an other the besynes that is necessary to hym selfe for to doo. ¶ And Assa­ron sayde the moost secerte counseyll of the kynge is his conscyence and his good dedys is his best tresour [Page] And of all men the trewest is the best and the best ry­chesses ben they that be truely & duely goten. ¶ And sayd a kynge sholde commytte his besynesses to hym that he hath proued in faythe in wytte & in good go­uernaunce and yf he may fynde noo suche take hym that hath euer be conuersaūt with wyse men. ¶ And sayd a wyse kynge of good vnderstandynge amēdeth and auayleth moche his counseyllours. ¶ And sayde whan a kynge of good dyscrecyon hath to do two ry­ght hasty thynges he sholde begynne at the noblest and at the moost profytable. And yf they ben bothe two of estate begynne at that whiche may best be re­couerde in tyme comynge. ¶ And he sayd yf a kynge be mercyfull his besynes shall go well his wysedom shall auayle hym in tyme comynge yf he be trewe his people shall reioyse with hym & yf he be iuste his rey­ne shall endure. ¶ And he sayde kynges sholde gete good renomme and other men dygnytes by good me­sure for outrageousnes is not endurynge. ¶ And he sayd it belongeth to conquerous kynges to sette & ke­pe good Iustyce in theyr realmes & other lorshyppes goten and howbeit that it is a greuous thynge to cō­quere them yet it is a more greuous & more chargea­ble thynge to kepe them well. ¶ And he sayd he that is moost complete of wytte is he that knoweth hym selfe and that departed hym not from the obeysaunce of good for what maner occasyon that cometh to hym & that contynuelly thanketh hym for the goodes that he hath sent hym. ¶ And sayde that an euyll law and the loue of a shrewe lasteth noo lenger than the sha­dowe of a cloud. ¶ And assaron sayd that a wyseman enforceth hym to fle and withdrawe frome harme.

& y^e fole doth grete payne to fȳde it. ¶ And assarō sayd whan a wyseman that is counseylour or offycer to a kynge seeth that the kynge wyll do or say ony thyn­ge domageable & harmefull to hym or to his realme or to his people & subgectes he shold adresse it to remēbre hym of good examples of cronycles & hystyres of his noble & wyse predecessours {con}cernynge vnto y^t purpos in so moche that the kynge cōceyue & haue know­leche that he sayth it for his well and worshyp.

LEgmon was bor­ne in Ethyope & lerned his scyence in the lande of Asteyn in the ty­me of kynge dauid y^e pro­phete / & was bought by­a Iewe for an esclaue or bondmā for .xxx. marcke & his maystres maystre played gladly at dyse / & there ran byfore his maystres gate a ryuer / & on a tyme as his maystre and an other man playde at dyse / they leyde & set an owche to pledge that who of them loste a game sholde do the wyll of the wynner or he sholde drynke all the water that ran & passed afore his gate / so it happened that his maystre lost & that other cōmaunded hym y^t he sholde do holy his commaundement & the loser answered that he was redy to be at his iugement. Thā he sayd to hym / thou shalte gyue me all y^e good y^t thou hast of ony valewe or thou shalte drynke all the water [Page] of this ryuer. And he that hath lost demaunded one­ly respyte of one daye for tauyse hym / that other graūted it to hym & thus he abode in his hous ryght pen­sefe and full of tought how he myght escape fro this peryll / & as he was in this thought legmon his boū­deman & seruaūt came home & brought vpō his neck a butchen of wood & salewed his mayster the whiche gaue hȳ no answer for the thought y^t he was in / how be it he was acustomed for to raysone hym for y^e good wordes that he founde in hym / & than legmon sayd to hym maystre who hath angred or greued the and he answered nothynge agayne / & legmon sayd mayster tell me the cause of this sorow & wo / for I shall lygh­tely remedye it yf I may. And thā his mayster reher­ced to hym all the fayte as is sayd afore. And thā leg­mon sayd to hym that he sholde in no wyse abasshe hȳ for he wolde gyue hym good coūseyll. Thou shalt de­maunde hym sayd he yf y^u shalt drynke that the ryuer conteyneth now this present tyme / or elles all that y^e shall renne & come cōtynuelly / & I wote well he shall saye that thou shall drynke all that it conteyneth now & whan he hath so sayd thou shalt say to hym that he stoppe and make the ryuer to stande without rennyn­ge ony more & that thou arte redy to drynke it that it holdeth now & thus thou shalt wynne thy cause whā the mayster herde the counseyll of his boundman he was moche recomforted & in lyke wyse on the morne he sayd to hym that had wōne y^e owche & in this wy­se he escaped from the peryll. And fro than forthon he a franchysed legmon & made hym fre that afore was bounde & thrall & he dyde gyue hym moche good / and was reputed for ryght a wyse man. And one of his felowes [Page] of tyme past mette hym on a tyme & demaun­ded of hym arte thou not he that were wonte to kepe shepe w^t me / & he answered yes / how sayd that other who hath set the in this estate. I shall tell y^e sayd leg­mon sayenge of trouth to be trewe & not tentend vpon vnprofytable thynges. And it was sayd a voys ap­pered to hym whiche sayde to hym. Wylte thou be a grete lorde vpon the erthe / & he answered yf god wyll I wyll obeye hym but yf he wyll me gyue the choyse & my pleasure. I wyl peas. One axed hȳ wherfore he wolde not be a kynge / he answered yf I Iuge ryghtfully I may not eschewe the hate of many men / & yf I dissimyle I shall withdrawe me fro the waye of paradyse I had leuer haue in this worlde suffysaūce w^t pouerte & wynne the blysse of that other worlde than for to lose to be hyghe reysed in this worlde. And Da­uid was in a place where moche people spake a mon­ge whom legmon was styll and he demaunded hym wherfore spekest not thou as other do. He answered bycause there is no word good but of god nor no good scylence but to thynke on god. ¶ And this Iewe that was mayster of legmon gaue hym moche good that whiche he dystrybuted in almesse / & lente it to poore nedy people w^toute vsure / & therfore god multyplyed his goodes gretely. And it is sayd he lefte all his ry­chesses and made hym selfe a recluse in a temple soly­tayrely vnto his deth / and there prechyd many fayre thynges & wysedomes to his sone. ¶ And sayde sone take abstynence & restreyne thy wyll for yf thou prey­se the worlde and the dyuerse aduentures that dayly comen in doyenge offences in thynges defēded of god thou desyrest but deth / therfore enforce the to eschewe [Page] the euyll wyll & to folowe the good / for the good mor­tefyeth and destroyeth the euyll. ¶ And sayd sone speke euer of god / and god shall put euer good wordes in thy mouth Sone set alway thyn owne werkes tofore thyn eyen and the other mennes behynde the aparte Sone whan thou seest ony synner repreue hym not of his fautes but thynke on thyn owne of which thou shalt gyue acompte. Sone employe not thy corage in the loue of this worlde whiche is a thynge y^t passeth & deceyueth all them that affye in it & holde the con­tent with lytell / and coueyte not the goodes of other. Sone set attemperaunce in thy lyuynge / & be reple­nysshyd with sapyence and conuerse with wyse men / and so mayste thou gete wysdom. Sone be symple well doynge thynkynge moche and fewe wordes but yf they be trew and be no grete laugher and be no dis­preyser ne mocquer of other / be styll & not full of lan­gage for I haue often repēted me of moche spekynge thnn of beynge styll. Sone beware that the cocke be not erlyer awaked in the mornynge than thou. And drede god & kepe y^e from vaynglorye. Sone beware that thou be not defrauded for to byleue y^t thou haste in that thynge whiche thou haste not thought y^t men bere the it on hāde by flaterye. Sone who loueth god best dredeth hym moost. Sone lerne goodnes & after teche it forthe to other / for doctours & techers w^t theyr techynges ben lykened vnto spryngynge welles ren­nynge / of whiche the people ben contynuelly serued and yet they abyde aldaye full. And knowe thou so­ne that yf a foole speke / he shall be mocqued for his vncurtoyse speche / and yf he be styll and speke not he shall thynke some euyll / and yf he do ony thynge it is [Page] euyll & loseth his tyme / yf he set hym to studye he shal lese his dyspense and shal not profyte yf of auēture he be ryche he shall be proude and presumptuous yf he be poore he shall fall in despayre / yf ge haue ony good garment he wyll be proude therof yf he demaūde ony thynge he shall axe it curtoysly / and yf ony man axe of hym to borowe he shall denye it / yf he gyue ought he shall reproche hym / yf a man gyue to hym he shall conne hym no thanke whan he is mery or Ioyons it is out of mesure / & whan he is angry he is lyke wyse yf men tell hym ony secrete he shall dyscouere it / yf he haue puyssaūce or myght he shall secretely seche occa­syon to do euyll & shall trete his subgectes by vyolence yf men felowshyp with hym he shall make hym āgry yf men folow hym he fleeth y^e people. Who so wyll cor­recto hym he wyll not do for hym but shal hate his corrector & his felows shal hate hym / yf he speke he wyll be herde & yf other men speke he wyll not here them yf men praye hym to pardone another he shall not do it he loueth better deceyt thā trouth. A man may not put hym from his opynyon for euer he wyll haue his by hym selfe & who so doth euyl he reputeth it for wel done yf he studye or speke with wyse men he wyll not meke hym selfe nor take hede to them & yf he be with a more fole thā he is hymselfe he shall defame & mock hym he shall cōmaūde thē to do well & he wyll do the worst he can & he shall cōmaunde them to saye trouth & he shall lye his dedys shall be moche discordaunt to his wordes / for yf his tongue sayth one his herte thȳketh another / yf thou be ryche he sayth y^u arte an vsu­rer yf thou be poore he shall se [...] nought by the yf y^u do wel he sayth thou dost it by ypocrysy / yf thou do euyl [Page] he wyll defame the / yf thou gyue to hym he wyll call the waster yf thou gyue nought he shall holde the for a keytyf & nygard / yf thou be de bonayr he shall saye thou art a beste / & who so draweth hym fro his cōpa­nye he sayth he doth it for pryde. ¶ But y^e wysemā is all of other cōtrary condycyons / for he hath cōtenaūce Iustyce besynes forgyuenes & mekenes he can well speke & be styll in place & tyme he knoweth & doth wel he hath his seruaūtes in his puyssaūce & power he is liberall to demaūders he is wyse in spekȳge & wel vnderstandynge the wordes of other yf he lerne he shall mene good questyons yf men doo hym good he shall thanke them who telleth hym his counseyll he shall kepe it secrete & he shall truste well in other yf he gy­ue he gyueth gladly without reproche he well doo to none other man but as he wold be done to yf he be ry­che he shall not be proude therof yf he be pore or ryche he shall not forgete god / he shall alwaye profyte in scy­ence he gyueth credence to hym that techeth hym he shall not grudge to a gretter than he is nor dysprey­se a lesse he shall aske nothynge but yf he haue ryght therto he is agreable in his answers & sayth nothyn­ge but yf he knowe it well he hydeth not his scyence: y^e more he accompanyeth the men, the more he loueth them he constreyneth his wyll to trouth whether it wyll or not he correcteth hymselfe gyuynge ensam­ple to other he is lyghtly torned to doo well yf he bere wytnesse it shall be veritable / yf he be a Iuge he shall Iuge and do all thynge truely yf men do hym harme he sholde do good therfore he coueyteth not the godes of other men he reputeth hymselfe as a straunger in this worlde and thynketh not but on his departynge [Page] he doth well & commaundeth other to do the same he defendeth euyll & kepeth hym selfe fro doynge it and that lyeth in his herte the tonge pronoūcheth and his dedys ben accordȳg to his wordes. ¶ Sone vnderstāde wysdom & exercyce the same without thynkynge on other thynges for whan thou haste goten it y^u shalt be euer in Ioye & know that it is not goten but by de­bonaryte & by good kepynge of the tongue for the ton­gue is the dore of the almerye of sapiēce wherin euery man may well entre / yf it be not shette / and therfore men shold kepe wel the key / that is to saye the tongue more besili thā his gold or siluer. ¶ Sone lose not thȳ owne thynges for kepȳge of straūge thynges for thy propre thȳges ben thy goodes whiche thy soule shall bere with hym. And the rychesses y^t shall abyde after thy dethe shall come to other mē. Sone honoure wysedom and denye it not to them that desyre it & shewe it not to them that despayse it. Sone who y^t hath mer­cy on other shall haue mercy on hym selfe. Sone be y^u content with that thou hast without coueytynge of y^e goodes of other / or of that whiche thou knowest thou mayst not haue. Sone receyue pacyently the wordes of correccyon and of prechynge though they be hard & greuous. ¶ And he sayde ryght vnhappy is he y^t he­reth & vnderstandeth not / & yet he is more vnhappy that hereth & vnderstandeth and no thynge profyteth to hym. Sone accompanye y^e with them that god lo­ueth. Sone yelde thankynges to our lorde god of the goodes that he hath made the to receyue in humylyte & departe thē to those that be nedy. Sone yf thou ha­ue done ony good y^t y^e semeth good / gyue no laude ne presynge to thy selfe therof. For y^u wotest not yf god [Page] be pleased with all or not. In euery werke is comyn­ly some thynge euer contrary an the aduersary of the werke is proude hye thought. Sone coueyte not the delytes of this worlde but onely them that may ma­ke the nygh to god. Sone truste thou veryly in god and loue them that obeye hym and haue them in hate that disobey hym. Sone there is no thynge more ac­ceptable to god than good vnderstādynge and that is in ten condycyons. That is to wete in not preysynge hym selfe in well doynge in beynge content of thyn­ges necessary to the lyfe to gyue of his goodes for goddes sake / to wyll worshyp to hym selfe / to kepe hym selfe from doynge shamefull thynges In getynge scyence and connynge all the dayes of his lyfe / to kepe hym selfe from angre. In gyuynge his loue to all thē that desyre it / and to repute hym selfe worst and the other better / for the men ben of two maners / some bē good and some ben bad / wherfore a man sholde hum­ble and meke hym to both / to the good in prayēge god to make hym semblable and lyke to hym / to the euyll for as moche as it is not knowen whether his good­nes is in hym hyd / and he wyll not shewe it by vayn­glory and in doynge these thynges is a man reputed for sage and wyse. Sone worshyp god and praye hȳ that he wyll kepe the from hauynge an euyll wyfe / & he wyl teche & enforme her / for there is none other re­medie. Sone shewe to other suche as thou hast lerned ne felawshyppe y^e not with shrewes that thou be not one of them / and haue thou not affyaunce in the hous where y^e people lyue this daye & deye to morow. So­ne enhabyte thy selfe with the wysemen contynuelly For god enlumyneth theyr hertes by wordes of sa­pyence [Page] in suche wyse as the goodes vnder erthe ben moysted by rayne & with dewes. And some men saye y^t Legmon is buryed in a twone called Carauall by­twene y^e mesquyte & y^e marche. And ther ben buryed .lxx. prophetes that dyed after Legmon / y^e whiche the chyldren of Israel kepte so longe in hostage that they dyed for hunger / & whā Legmō was nyght his deth he wepte sore & his sone axed hym why he wepte for fere of deth or for sorow that he had to leue the worlde he answered I wepe for none of tho two thynges but I wep by cause I haue a waye for to go frō whiche I sawe neuer man come agayne / & I bere but lytell vy­tayll w^t me & am charged w^t many grete charges & I wote neuer whether I shall be aleged & discharged or no whan I shall come to thende of my way & he sayd to his sone. Sone thou oughtest to drede god & not o­nely to be worshypped of men. Sone whan thou co­mest in a place where shall be spokē of god abyde therfor yf thou be a fooll y^u mayst be amended and become wyse yf thou be wyse y^u shalte encrece thy wysedome / & yf god sende them ony good y^u shalte haue thy parte. But & yf thou haunte places where god is not spoken of all the contrary shall happen to the. Sone be afrede of the vengeaunce of our lorde as moche as y^u mayest & drede hym & consydre his ryght grete puyssaunce & myght. ¶ And sayd in lyke wyse as in gyuynge largely a man maketh of his enemy his frende ryght so by pryde a mā maketh of his frende his enemy. ¶ And sayd the worde sheweth the wysedome of the mā and therfore ought a mā to be well auysed what he sayth ¶ And sayde a trewe man resteth in his trouth & the rewarde of a lyer is that he be not byleued of that he [Page] reherceth. ¶ And sayd reherce ne tell no thynge to hȳ that wyll not byleue the ne demaunde not that thyn­ge that thou wotest well shall not be graunted to the ne promyse no thynge but thou mayst and wylte hol­de & kepe. ¶ And sayde thou oughtest aboue all thyn­ge flee the companye of a lyer / and yf thou maye not eschewe his cōpanye at lest beware that chou byleue no thynge that he sayth. ¶ And sayde sone set the not in the hyest place / for it is better that thou be taken vp from the lowest place for to sytte in the hyest / than to be taken from the hyest and than be sette all bynethe. ¶ And sayd sone ones I commaunde the that thou drede god aboue all thynges for that thynge is ryghtfull and profytable to the and do so that all thy thoughtes be alwaye in hym and thy wordes semblably / for the spekynge and thynkynge in god surmounteth all other wordes and thoughtes as he hym selfe sur­mounteth all other creatures and therfore men ought to obeye hym / not withstandynge ony other thynge that they be cōstrayned to. Sone make thy oraysons and prayers duely to hym. For prayer is a shyp that is in the see / for yf she be good she shall be saufe and all that be therin / and yf she be euyll she shall perysse and all they that be therin. ¶ And sayde a man may lyghtly fynde his lyuynge and his necessytes in this world / whiche is a lytell durynge as to vs creatures but a man sholde purneye hym of thȳges necessaryes for to bere with hym whan he shall departe hens.

¶ And sayd how may a man make another to chaunge his wyll that can not refrayne his owne wyl?

¶ And sayd goddes wyll is one of the goodes wher­of god is seruyd and gladly to here thynges louable / [Page] is to him agreable / and a curtoyse answer ought mo­che to be preysed. yf thou behoueth to sende ony mes­sage or legacyon sende a wyseman and yf thou mayst none fende go thy selfe. ¶ And sayd byleue not hym that lyeth to the of another man for he shall lye in lyke wyse to an other man of the. ¶ And sayd / it is more lyght to chaunge montaygnes from one place to ano­ther than for to make hȳ vnderstande y^t hath none en­tendement. ¶ And sayd doo not that of whiche thou sholdest haue shame to se another do it. Two pacyen­tes ben in this worlde of whiche one is he that seeth & endureth pacientely that he hateth and that other is to refrayne his wyll. There ben thre estates of men that ben knowen but in thre maners that is to wete y^e pacyent is not knowen but in his aduersyte and in his Ire / y^e valyaūt man is not knowen but in warre And the frendes be not knowen but in necessyte. Of all other maners and condycyons the worst is a man to be suspycyons of his frende and to dyscouer thyn­ges secrete / to haue truste & affyaunce in euery man to speke ouermoche of thynges vnprofytable and to be in daunger of euyll people for couetyse of goodes temporall. ¶ And sayd the thought is y^e myrour of y^e man wherin he may beholde his beaute & his fylth. ¶ And he sayd beware and kepe the for to be suspecy­ous for suspeccyon taketh away the loue fro the peo­ple. wytte without doctryne is a tree without fruyte ¶ And sayd for to be ioyous and to salewe euery man gladly to be lyberall in gyuynge and receyuynge and to for gyue gladly his euyll wyll make a man to belo­ued of eche body.

ANeyse the philoso­pher sayth. Whan men wexe olde theyr ver­tues ben dispraysed and the ryche men ben more ferfull than poore men. ¶ And he sayde the noble deth is better than a vyle domina­cyon. ¶ And sayde the most and grettest ewre or hap of a man is to haue a good fe­lawe / nowe than accom­panye the with good peo­ple and thou shalte be one of them. One of the gret­test vylonyes and iniquytes of the worlde is for to do vylonye vnto an impotent persone. ¶ And sayde yf thou hast done ony trespas or synne / repente the ano­ne without abydynge vnto the morne. ¶ And he sayde thou oughtest to gyue hym thanke that doth y^e good of what condycyon that he be of so that he do it lyberally and in good entente. ¶ And sayde he may not knowe ne apperceyue many thynges that canne not apperceyue ne knowe hym selfe. ¶ And sayde / yf thou wylt haue endurynge longe with an other put thy selfe in payne to enforme hym in good maners.

¶ And sayd yf a kynge be iuste and ryghtfull he shall seygnorie and be lorde ouer the corage of his people / yf he be other wyse though he be named for kynge yet wyll they haue theyr corages to another.

SAcdarge sayth y^t y^e werkes of this worlde ben adressed by two thynges / one is by scyence of whiche y^e soule is adressed and that other is besenes of whiche the soule & y^e body ben adres­sed. ¶ And sayde men le­ue for to do moche har­me and euyll whan they doubte and fere our lorde. ¶ And sayde / noblesse of lygnage is moche coue­nable to receyue scyēce y^e entencyō of the man sholde be for to refrayne his cou­rage frome fylth and foule thynges / for the good lyfe maketh the good renommee and causeth a good eude / he is ryght excellēt whiche is honorable in all his dis­portes and of whom the wytte surmounteth the Ire ¶ He sayd let it suffyse to the to be soo wyse that thou canst doo well and kepe the from doynge euyll. Ther is no thynge soo euyll vnto a man as to be euyll endo­ctryned / and in especyall whan he is yssued of noble and good lygnage. ¶ And sayd for to conne scyence it is a moche honourable and profytable thynge. For by it goodes of this worlde and of that other ben go­ten. Awyse man wyll no thynge haue of his prynce but that whiche he hathe goten by sayenge trouth & by his good werkes. ¶ And sayd he is a good lorde y^t taketh vpō hym payne to kepe his subgectes in suche wyse as he kepeth his owne body and that he be not [Page] so rygorous and oppressynge that them behoueth to leue his lordshyp. And that also he be not to them so debonarye that they dyspyse his maundementes.

¶ And he sayd the moost curteys gyuer is he that gyueth without axynge. ¶ And sayd In what someuer place thou be with thyn enemy be it in dysporte or o­therwyse / make alwaye good watche on thy selfe / thought so be thou be strōger than he and myghtyer yet labour alwaye to make peas. ¶ And sayd in lyke wyse as it is grete payne to the body of a man to su­steyne thynge that is impossyble to hym ryght so it is a greuous thynge to a wyseman for to teche a foole.

¶ And sayd a suspecyous man may neuer haue good lyfe. ¶ And sayd he is ryght ignoraunt and vnkynde that can not gyue thankynge for the goodnes that is done to him / but yet he is more vnkynde that denyeth it to other. ¶ And sayd he that demaundeth but rea­son

is able to vaynquysse & ouercome his enemye.

THesylle sayde / thou oughtest to loue bet­ter the rude wordes that bē proufytable and true than the swete wordes that ben of deceyte and flaterynge.

Some men put venym in swete drynkes & y^e medecy­nes that sonest heleth peo­ple are bytter and of eull sa­uoure. ¶ And sayde / it is a [Page] foule thynge to be so curyous for the fedynge of the body that it hurteth both it and the soule. ¶ And sayde as a shypmā taketh not the see without he seeth that he hath a couenable wynde / no more sholde a man dis­pose hym to ony maner werkes without it were couenable for the soule. ¶ And sayde thou oughtest to do that / that is moost profytable for the body and rather rhat / that is moost couenable for thy soule / and not to do the contrarye. ¶ And sayd he that can well coun­seyll another ought to counseyll well hym selfe & ha­ue remembraunce to the saluacyon of his soule for it is a greate vyce to a man to worshyppe and helpe an­other and dysworshyppe and hurt hym selfe. ¶ And sayde as it becometh euyll a man that hath a foule & vnclene body to be clothed with cloth of golde or with cloth of sylke / ryght so it is a foule thȳge to haue gre­te beaute of body and of vysage and be full of euyl werkes. ¶ And sayde we ought by reason to kepe clenely our bodyes we are more specyally bounde to kepe ho­nestly and well that that gyueth vs knowlege of our lorde god that is the wysedome of the soule and not to hurte or ouercome it with meetes or drynkes. And it was axed of hym how a man myght kepe hym from Ire. And he answered in remembrynge that it is im­possyble y^t he sholde alway be obeyed but that he must somtyme obeye and that he shall not alwaye cōmaun­de but he shall be cōmaunded. And also that god seeth all thynge & yf he hath this in consyderacyō he sholde not longe be worthe. ¶ And he saw a grete fatte man to whom he sayd thou paynes the sore to breke y^e walles of thy pryson. ¶ And sayd whā thou shalt correcte nother shewe it not lyke hym that wold venge hym [Page] of his enemy / but do as the physycyan that curioyse­ly speketh to his pacyent. And whan thou shalt correcte thy selfe shewe the as the hurte man doth to his leche∴

SAynt Gregoyre sayd recommaunde to god the begynnȳge and the ende of all thy werkes. ¶ And sayde / studye and trauayll to knowe all thynges and reteyne and holde with the those that ben moost prou­fytable. ¶ And sayde pouerte is euyll but rychesse is moche worse. ¶ And sayde be thou pacyent and & haue reasō in thy wrath & lygh thy selfe w^t sapiēce ī stede of candell / and presume not to be better than thou art but thynke thou art dedely / repute the for a straū­ger and thou shalte worshyppe the straūgers. ¶ And sayd whan thy shyp shall be laden w^t grete transquil­lyte than y^u oughtest fere to be drowned. ¶ And sayde man ought to receyue merely all that god sendeth thē ¶ And sayde the hattered of good men is better than the loue of euyll people. ¶ And sayde frequente and haunte the companyes of wysemen and not of the ry­che. ¶ And sayde dysprayse not a lytell of good thyn­ges for they may gretly encresse and amende. ¶ And sayde endure pacyently without takynge vengaun­ce.

GAlyen was one of y^e. viij. leches ryght ex­cellet in medycyne / whiche were all .viij. su{per}latyf abo­ue all other leches of y^e whi­che the fyrst was Esculapi{us} the seconde Gorius. the thyrde Mirius. the fourthe pro­medines. the .v. Platon the vi. Esculapius the seconde. the .vii. ypocras. the .viii. Galyen whiche had none lyke to hym. He was borne after the incarnacyon of our lorde .CC. yeres / and he composed and made well. CCCC. volumes of bokes amonge whiche there ben viii. that ben studyed in fuche thynges as men desy­re to lerne of the art of medicine / his fader was ryght dylygent to put hym to the scole and spended moche good vpon hym and sente hym in the countre of Asye in the cyte of Pargame Athenes Rome and Alexan­drye for to fynde the best maysters / and there he ler­ned phisyke / geometrye / gramarye / & other scyences / & he lerned phisyke of a woman called cleopatre whi­che taught hym many good herbes and profytable to all maner of sykenesse / & he dwelled longe in Egypte for to knowe all these herbes / and longe after he dyed nyghe y^e cyte of Escam fast by the grene see in y^e mar­ches of Egypte / & in his youthe he desyred gretely to knowe y^e scyence demonstratyue & he was so enclyned to lerne it that whan he departed from the scole with [Page] other chyldren his mynde was euer vpon that that his mayster had taught hȳ / wherof his felowes mocked him & axed hym why he wolde not playe & sporte hym with them. To whom he sayd I take as grete pleasaunce to recorde my lesson as ye do youre playes wherof his sayd felawes had grete meruayll & sayde that his fader was happy to haue suche a chylde / & to put hym to the scole / that so well loued wysedome / his fader was a grete labourer / his graūt fader was a souerayn maystre carpenter / & his graunsyrs fader was an harper & meter of landes whiche is y^e scyen­ce of geometrye. Galyen was at Rome in the reygne of kynge Octauyen whiche reygned after Adryen & there he made a booke of anascomye and many other traytyes. Some say y^t grete parte of his bookes were brent / and amonge them some of Arystotelles bookes wrytten with his hand & of Danagoras & of Andro­mache / & a booke that he had made of tryacles for ve­nyms / & thaught y^e kynge of Grece to breke the hylles & fylle the valeyes & to make playne wayes in theyr countres & edyfyed cytees & closed them with bygge walles / & also to make ryueres renne trugh the two­nes & in other places where nede was & to do al other thynges that were to the commyne profyt. And in those dayes they hadde more delectacyon & pleasaun­ce to the good rule & gouernaunce of theyr lordeshyp than to the ease and pleasaūce of theyr owne bodyes. And theyr hertes were moche sette to haue good vni­uersytees and scoles of grete clerkes and specyally in physyke. And also they ordeined in euery countre and regyon certayn folkes to gader herbes and to brynge them to the maystres of physyke for to preue them by [Page] experyence. And the same herbes thus approued we­re sent to the kynges closet & sealed with theyr seales to thentent that they sholde not be chaunged and than the kynges ordeyned them for seke folkes. ¶ And the sayd Galyen sayd wysdome can not profyte to a foole ne wytte to hym that vseth it not. ¶ And sayd heuy­nesse cometh of the thynges passed & thought of thyn­ges to come. ¶ And Galyen was foure score yere and vii. whā he sayd that many grete lordes be Ignoraūt whan they be more enclyned to haue fayre horses and ryche gownes & other Iewelles than to wynne good fame by good condycyons. ¶ And sayde y^e physycyēs were wont to haue lordeshyp & to gouerne seke folkes & to cause them to do suche thynges as were moost expedyent and proufytable for theyr helth / and no seke man durst dysobeye his physycyen but shold be com­pelled to obeye hym wherfore they were the soner re­couered and hole / & now the leches ben subgectes to y^e seke folkes / & be cōpelled to handell them easely and softly & gyue them swete drynkes though it auayleth them but lytell / & therfore is there the more sekenesse & lēger vnhelth. ¶ And sayd somtyme tho that were moost sobre in theyr metes and lest dranke wyne we­re best byloued and moost praysed / & nowe the moost glottons / and tho that oftenest ben dronken are the moost sette by and the rather set at grete lordes bour­des whiche gyueth euyll exāpell to other. ¶ And sayd thou mayest well instructe all men saue onely those that be withoute shame. ¶ And sayde / a man that knoweth well hym selfe hath power ynough to correcte hym selfe. ¶ And sayde a man may loue hym selfe so moche that he is deceyued thereby for we se many [Page] that wene and seme to be good and are contrary.

¶ And sayde he is iuste that may bothe doo ryght or wronge & yet kepe Iustyce. And he is wyse & dyscre­te that knoweth that / that suffyseth to be knowen & that doth vertuousely to euery creature. ¶ And sayd lyke as a seke man desyreth not to departe frome his phisycyentyll he hath recouered his helth whiche he coude not do by hym selfe / in lyke wyse a man ought to desyre the company of a confessoure for the helth of his soule. ¶ And he saw a mā that was gretly made of and cherysshed with kynges for the strength of his body of whome he sayd parauenture I shall cause hȳ to repente it at laste∴

IT was asked of one called Protege wher­fore it was that one of his neyghbours made dye his here in blacke he answered bycause no man sholde aske to lerne sapyence of hym∴

¶ And plures sayde the mo­re good that a foole hath the more he is foole. And it was axed of one arystan whan it was good to lye with a woman he answered at all tymes whan a man wyll hurt enpayre & feble his body. And it was axed of Dimycrates wherby he knewe and perceyued best his wytte / he answered in that y^t I thynke I vnderstan­de [Page] and knowe but lytell. ¶ And sayd / the wyseman that replyeth is better than the foole that accordeth to euery purpose. And there was a wysemā called azee that was a prysonner to whome his mayster axed of what kȳrede he was / he answered enquere not of my lygnage / but axe of my prudēce and connynge & was axed of a nother called Sygonce also prysoner of one that wolde haue bought hym wherto he was good & he answered to be delyuered. And an other axed of hȳ yf it were good that he sholde bye hym. To whom he answered I am nothynge worth but ye or some other bye me. And another sayd he dyspreyseth hym selfe that dispreyseth all other and gyueth hym selfe laude. And there was one that prayd god to kepe hym fro y^e daunger of his frendes. And it was asked hym why he prayed not rather that god sholde kepe hym fro his enemyes than fro his frendes. And he answered for as moche as I may well kepe me frome mȳ enemies in whom I haue no truste / but I may not kepe me frome my frende whome that I truste. It was axed of a wiseman whiche be y^e most noble worldely thyn­ges. To whom he answered to loue sapience & to hate fooly not to be ashamed to lerne. ¶ And it was axed of Archasam whiche be the sciences that chyldren shold lerne. He answered those that cause them to hate igno­raunce in theyr age. ¶ And it was asked of another / why he wolde haue noo syluer / & he answered for as moche as it come to men by fortune & is kepte by ny­gardshyp & couetise & is often folyshely spent & to euyl vse. And another sayd the loue of a foole shall be more noysant to y^e thā his hatered & there was a mā y^t sayd to another I shall put my payn & dilygence to destroie [Page] the. He answered & I shall enforce me to destroye thy malyce & appease thyn Ire. And ther came byfore a kynge thre wysemen the one was a greke the other a Iewe & the thyrde a sarazyn / of whome the sayd kynge desyred that eche of them wolde vtter some good & notable scyēce. Than the greke sayd / I may well cor­recte and amende my thoughtes but not my wordes. Than y^e Iewe sayd I haue meruayll of them y^t sayd thynges preiudycyall where scylence were more pro­fytable. And y^e sarazyn sayd I am mayster ouer my worde or it be pronūced / but whan it is spoken I am seruaunt therto. ¶ And it was axed one of them who myght be called a kynge / & he answered he that is not subgcete to his owne wyll. ¶ And assaron sayde to an euyll payer that desyred to borow money of hym that he wolde lend hym none for he knoweth well that he coude not dysplease hym moche in refusynge the lone as in axynge him his payement agayne. ¶ And sayd the wysemen speke w^t good delyberacyō / & the fooles speke without auysemēt. ¶ And teofrates sayd he is of good condycyon y^t reporteth and sayth good of other folkes and kepeth secrete theyr defautes. And it was axed of discony what thynges were moost nycessary for a man to kepe hym out of other folkes daunger & he answered yf he be ryche to lyue moderatly & yf he be poore to labour dilygently. ¶ And Nicomake sayd ther is not so good a doctour as discrecyonne so good a precher as the tyme & he y^t correcketh hym by other is ryght dylygent & well occupyed. And it is better to take example by other than other take it by hym. And thymetus sayd medle nor vndertake not with the go­uernaunce of a [...]oole / for he can not peyse nor conceyue [Page] what good thou doost to hym / no more than an horse or other beestes take hede whether they charge hȳ w^t golde or grauell. And it was axed of Athelam / why men ben punysshed for theyr mysdedes & not for theyr thoughtes he sayde for theyr thoughtes are reserued onely to god. ¶ And Amonys sayd there be thre thynges y^t a prynce ought to eschewe. The fyrste is to mo­che drynkynge. The seconde is to moche delectacyon in musyke / & the thyrde doynge of women for the thre thynge put away all his other good thoughtes. And sayde thought for thynges loste and euyll done / that can not be amended for getynge therof is the medycy­ne. ¶ And sayd trouth is good to be sayd / & specyally whan it profyteth euery body. ¶ And sayde yf thou can not ateyne to the wysedome of auncyent men at the leste studye & se theyr bokes and some profyt thou mayst haue therby. ¶ And quidar{us} sayd I haue mer­uayll of those that blame so moche the foule thynges vpon other & thynk them fayre vpon hym selfe. ¶ Dimycrates sayd pacyence is a castell imprenable and worshyp is the fruyte of trouth & repentaunce is the fruyte of hast. And it was axed of dythomages / why the ryche men ben more proude than wysemen / & he sayd the wysemen knowen and drede our lorde & vn­derstande what offence pryde is vnto hym but the ryche mā taketh none hede therto. And some axed hym whiche was better to haue sapyence or rychesse / & he sayd ther is noo good rychesse but it be answell profy­table in the other worlde as in this / but sapyence is good for eyther worlde. ¶ It was tolde Arystotelles that a man had sayd good of hym and he sayd. I shall recompense it. They axed hym in what maner & he [Page] sayd I wyl saye of hym ī lyke wyse. ¶ And doctiphō sayde a mannes wytte can not atteyn to do thynges aboue his vnderstandynge but vndre he may execute lyke as ye may put no more wyne in a pype than it cō­teyneth but lesse ye may. ¶ And Orycas sayd a man of good vnderstādynge may wel eschewe grete quan­tyte of the infortunes of this worlde / lyke as the good shypman knoweth by experyence y^e weder lyke to be in y^e see. ¶ Samaron sayd I haue loste all that I had & therfore I fere no thynge. ¶ And sayd in all thy en­terpryses haue more truste in the scyence than in the strength. ¶ Gregorius sayd the peyntours may wel make pyctures semblable to thynges but the propre thynge none can make but onely god & nature. And y^e kynge Armesis callynge to hym his bretherne sayd to them yf ye wll repente and take me but onely as your brother I wyll shewe you that I am your kyng but and ye take me for your kynge I shewe you that ye are my bretheren. ¶ And Tales milostius sayd I haue grete meruayll of them that for worldely goodes put them dayly in peryll of deth by lande & by water as well by feyte of marchaundise as other wyse not knowynge who shall succede or departe theyr goodes after theyr deth & myght with lesse daunger and payne lerne sapience by the whiche theyr good name and fame sholde be more lauded and praysed as it is sayde in a comyn prouerbe. He is not dede whose renoume and fame lasteth. ¶ And Pytagoras sayde / scyence hath none enemyes / but ignoraūce men. ¶ And sayd claterynge of folyes is despleasure to wyse men lyke as the stenche of a kareyne is to them that smell it / for the foole knoweth no more the fawte of his owne [Page] speche than y^e karyen doth of his stenche. And it was axed of another howe men myght kepe them fro mo­che drynkyng. And he answered in beholdynge well y^e grete inconuenyentes that be fall the dronken men.

¶ And Eugene sayd many persones hauynge reason & vnderstandynge axe candell & lyght for to ete theyr mete / but few persones there be y^t kyndell and sharpe theyr wyttes in getynge scyences for the proufyte of theyr soules. ¶ And Esicō sayddeth is displeasaūt to all persones saufe to the wysemen / for sapyence is the thynge y^e moost letteth y^e fere of deth. ¶ And Adryan sayd yf I sholde not loue sapience / but bycause she dyspreyseth dethe yet sholde I loue her. ¶ And Hermes sayd the grete profyt that I haue founde in sapyence is that I haue composed & knyt all my thoughtes in one. ¶ And Quirianus sayd a man may not be with out thoughtes he ought to remembre thynges perpetuall. ¶ And sayd some thynke it good that euery bo­dy were of lyke condycyon / but thynke ye the cōtrary for than euery man wolde cōmaunde and none obeye. ¶ And demapates sayd whan y^u comest in to a straunge countre herken dylygently after the langage & rea­son of the people. And yf thou fynde thy selfe as wyse or wyser than they endoctryne them / and elles payne thy selfe to lerne of theyr lore rather than to besy the in other ydell & vayne occupacyons. ¶ A philozopher whiche was disciple of pytagoras sayd / he ought not to be called manly / that wyll stryke hym that canne not defende hymselfe. ¶ And Sylde sayde in all thynges the meane is best & to lyue warely is a grete tre­sour & to lyue wastfully causeth pouerte and yet it is impossyble to please all men there with. ¶ And sayd [Page] be not worth with hym that sayth trouth haue paciē­ce and good shall come to the therfore. ¶ And sayd the wycked lordes resemble to the dronken men that in theyr dronkenshyp hate all fayre & good vertues & lo­uen all vyces & fylthes but whan his dronkenshyp is passed he is ashamed of his dedys. ¶ And sayd a kynge of good witte & dyscrecyon ought to be wel content & pleased whan mē offre him theyr seruyce & ought in his peas and prosperite to worshyp and cherysshe his knyghtes & men of warre & to paye them well theyr wages all be it he wene to haue none ennemye for he can not be sure how soone he shall haue nede of his seruaūtes. And Melious sayd he is not ryche to whome the rychesse lasten but lytell / ne fro whome they may be lyghtely taken / but y^e laudable rychesses ben those that durē perpetuelly. ¶ And Brakalyke sayd the co­uetous man hath noo reste And the nygarde may ne­uer be ryche. ¶ And Phelyp kynge of macedone sayd to those y^e counseylled hym to bren the cyte of Athenes whan he had wonne it we sholde than seme men dys­cōfyt / where we haue ouercome our enemies. ¶ And Archydes sayd y^e tōge may not wel make lesynges w^t out thassent of the herte & therfore it is conuenyent y^t the tonge & the herte be of one opynyon. ¶ And sayde make no desire to god for that that y^u mayst wel haue / whiche is suffysaūce / but praye & requyre him that y^t thou hast may suffyse the. ¶ Pytagoras sayd he y^t beleueth not y^e resurreccyon of man is lyke a dome beest that falleth for feblenes. ¶ And sayd a man ought to do his werkes by delyberacyon & by grete prouysyon & not sodainly. ¶ And sayd yf y^u wyll excede thyn ene­mye calle hym no foole nor tale tellar nor obeye none [Page] of his vyces for thy blamynge were to hym a greate laude. ¶ And sayd he that wold be lauded of his werkes ought to haue a true frende to reporte them. And sayd kepe thy frende a boue all thȳges & thynke what losse thou shalt haue yf thou lacke a true frende yf thy house falleth downe y^u shalt not lese therby but the de­partynge of the stones & the tymbre / but yf thou lese thy frende thou mayst gete therby many enemyes.

¶ And sayd whan a man is in grete Ire & wrath he may be lykened to an house takē with fyre in whiche for the quantyte of the smoke & of the noyse of the fye­re / ther may no man se ne here therin / and may also be lykened to a shyp in an outrageous tempest in the see whiche wyll not be well conduyted nor stered for the feruentnesse of the same tempest / and so whan a mannes blood & corage is styred with wrath and Ire ther may no persuasyons nor holsom counseyll auayle nor stere hym to his profyt / and is soo cursed that a lytell sparke of it maketh lyghtly a greate fyere yet wrath is many a time pacefyed by sylence / as the fyre quen­cheth whan y^e brondes be taken awaye. Also a drōken man can not perceyue his dronkenshyp / tyll he be so­bre / & after whā he seeth another dronke he knoweth therby in what caas he was in / also the angred man retourneth by his pacyence and seeth another angry may well perceyue his owne defautes. ¶ And sayd we se comynly womē sooner angry than mē / the seke men rather than the hole the olde men lyghtlyer than the yonge / wherfore it is to be thought that wrath cometh of feblenes of courage. And a mayster rebuked his clerck sayeng / holde thypeas boundeman sone / & he answered I am not y^e lesse worth for my kynne but [Page] thou arte the wors for thy condycyons. ¶ And sayd a wyseman ought to saye that that is conuenyent and some tyme to here that that is not to be sayd. ¶ And sayd ther is no thynge y^t greueth so moche thy trende as to shewe hȳ that y^u hast hym suspecte. ¶ And sayd company / & dele so with y^e people y^t they wysshe after thy presence whan thou arte absent and that they la­ment & bewaile thy deth. A man wepte whan his so­ne was borne / & it was axed of hym why he wepte & ought rather to be ioyeful / & he answered I wepe for my sone that goth now to ward his deth. And it was axed of hym what maner people be lest behated / and he answered to that may nother helpe nor hurt & that doth nother good nor harme for the euyll people hate the good & the good hate the euyll. ¶ And sayd custu­me is harder to breke than nature. ¶ And sayd there ben .ij. maner of abstynēce / one is with good wyll / & y^e other by force whiche is not good. ¶ And another sayd speke but profytable thynges nor ete no more than for thy sustynaunce and seke to haue no thynge but that is possyble to be had ne cōplayne the not of thy frend­des take not vnhope of that y^t thou mayste not amen­de. Aske nothynge of the couetous man teche that thou can gyue that thou haste haue pacyence in thyn aduersytees. Doo to be wryten in thy seale or in thy sygnet bothe good people & bad shal ende and beholde that sentence often. ¶ And sayd shorte remembraun­ce and hastynesse of speche maketh many tyme a man fayle & erre in his Iugement. And one rebuked a wy­seman / to the whiche the wyseman sayd. Thou rebu­kes me not of all my vyces. ¶ And it was axed of hym why he wolde haue noo sone. And he answered [Page] I had leuer be without for whan I beholde the gre­te loue that a man hath to his chylde & the grete pey­nes & troubles y^t he hath to brynge him vp / and at last must lese hym y^e sorowe were more to me than y^e Ioye ¶ It was aduised one y^e was goȳge in a ferre vyage y^t he sholde not holde his Iourney leste he dyed therin & he answered y^t deth is all one to me be it in other coūtrees or at home. And it was axed of another what thynge is not to be done though it be iust / & true. And he answered a man ought not prayse hym selfe of ony of his good dedys. ¶ And sayd it is somtyme good to spare the sothe for to gyue hope to his enemies and to saue his srēdes fro deth for trouth nedeth not alwaies to be sayd. And it was axed of hym what thynge was moost delectable / & he answered that one is not sure to kepe longe in one degre and is moost dffycyle to be founde. ¶ And sayde a man y^t desyreth to come to ony greate well ought not to leue it though he atteyn not therto at y^e fyrst but ought to contynue his entreprys for it cometh at one time that cometh not at C. ¶ And sayd the wyseman is not deceyued by flateringes de­ceyuable or swete wordes leke as y^e snake / whiche is taken & eten by the pecock in beholdynge the fayre fe­thers of his tayle & / a wytty prynce may helpe him in his warres as well w^t bad people as w^t good ī dyuers maneres. ¶ And sayd yf thou hate a man y^u oughtest not therfore hate all his seruaūtes. And sayd though a man hath bought a booke it compelleth hym not to studye & rede therin. ¶ And sayde men ought to serue god in .x. maneres y^t is to wytte to yelde hym graces for the benefeytes that he hath gyue hȳ to bere pacy­entely his aduersytes to speke truely to paye all that [Page] he promytteth to Iuge ryght wysely to be tempera­te to do good dedys after his power or he be requyred to worshyp his frendes to forgyue the fautes of his enemyes / to desyre nor do ony thynge to ony man but as he wolde be done to. And one was blamed bycause he hadde gyuen his syluer to an euyll persone beynge in necessyte / & he sayd I haue not gyuen hym my syl­uer for his badnes / but bycause he was in necessyte.

¶ And sayde exercyse of dyuers labour is helth & de­lectacion of the body. And it was axed him sythē whā he was waxed wise. And he āswered sythē y^e time y^t I began to dysprayse and mystryst my selfe. He herde a man reherse lesynges & vntrew wordes / to whom he sayd yf thou herdest another saye that y^u sayest y^u wol­dest not byleue hym wherfore thou mayest wel thyn­ke no man byleueth the. ¶ And Aristophan{us} sayd vyctorye of worde is not victorye in dede but y^e very vyc­torye is the werke. ¶ And Anaxagoras sayd a good wyse man fereth not the deth for wysdom gouerneth his witte & his tonge and his voice troth guydeth his herte & his wyll pytye & mercy ben his frēdes sekȳge of wysemen ben his fete his lordshyp is Iustyce his reygne is mesure / his swerde is grace / his wepen is peas / his arowe is saluacyō his knyghthod is y^e coū­seyll of wysemen his ornamentes be strength his tre­sour is dyscyplyne / his loue is the company of good people / his loue & all his desyre is to fle synne & to ser­ue & loue god. ¶ And sayde a greate tresour is to haue frendes & is a noble affeccyon wherfore it is conueny­ent to cherysshe & kepe them wel and to wynne one by another as ofte as byrdes drawen many in to ther cōpany. And a kynge axed of a wyseman whome he re­puted [Page] to be a good iuge. And he answered he that is not deceyued by flateryes that is not corrupte by gyf­tes and is not deceyued for faute of discrecion. ¶ And another sayd sclanderers ben worse than theues / for theues stele but the goodes / & sclanderers take and de­stroye loue. ¶ And another sayd worshyp gyuē with out caus at laste tourneth to shame. ¶ And another sayde it were better to be in companye & conuersaunt with a serpent than w^t an euyll woman. ¶ And sayd one ought to doubte the subtylytes and craftes of his enemye yf he be wyse & yf he be a foole than drede his folyes. ¶ And another sayde the moost lyberal in this worlde is he that reputeth for a grete thȳge the good dedys that be done to hym & that he repute for lytell that he hath done to other & that holdeth hym coutent with that he hath be he poore or ryche. ¶ And sayd y^e moost nygard of all men is he that axeth inportunat­ly after he is ones denyed & refused his askynge. And another sayd enuye destroyeth the worlde & freteeth & wereth it as the filth of a gounge doth y^e yron. ¶ And another sayde lyke as nothynge may be wryten in a peyre of tables all redy wryten in withoute the fyrste wrytynge be put out. All in lykewyse y^e vertues & no­blesses may not he had in no body without the vyces & wretchednes ben fyrste put awaye. ¶ And another sayde lyke as a man may not all at ones beholde with one eye the skye & with y^t other the erth In lyke wyse a man may not aredye and dyspose his wytte to ver­tues & to vices to gyder. ¶ And another sayd y^e ryght stedefaste loue is whan the frendes ben of lyke condy­cyons & yf they be dyuers or contrarious vnneth that loue may longe endure. ¶ And sayd people ought to [Page] doubte theyr kynge & hym obeye with fere & in loue.

And som axed him whā y^e wytte of man was parfyte And he sayd whan that he speketh trouth. ¶ And an other sayd the enuyous hateth the lyberall & the ny­gard is wroth with that an other spēdeth. ¶ And an­other sayd all gettynge may not be iustyfyed ne helth may not by glotonye / ne frendeshyp with decepcyon / ne noblesse with bad discyplyne / ne loue with pryde / ne iustyce with necessyte / ne rest of herte with enuye / ne wytte & dyscrecōn w^t vengeaūce / nor proces w^toute coūseyll. ¶ And another sayd truste not a foole nother for loue ne for neyghbourshyp for it were as good to haue to thy neyghbour a house take with fyere. And another sayd he is thy gret enemy whose werkes ben harde bytter & noynge to y^e & his wordes swete & cur­toyes. ¶ And another sayd the wysemen endure here all theyr lyues lastynge & after theyr deth theyr good werkes shal lasten in mennes mȳdes. ¶ And another sayd consyderacyō of the ende of the werkes helpeth moche to the good conclusyon. ¶ And another sayd y^u ought to loue though y^u be not loued. ¶ Another sayde a foole weneth euer y^e god hath nothyng wel done nor employed but y^e he hath gyuen hym and semeth y^t he coude haue made & ordeyned this worlde better than god hath done howbeit he can not gouerne his owne persone onely. ¶ And another sayd be willinge to gy­ue the nedy people / & in so doynge y^u shalte do seruyce & pleasure to oure lorde god. ¶ And another sayd it is better a mā to holde his peas than to {con}trarye & argue w^t a foole & is as good to haue the enemyte of bad peo­ple as theyr frenshyp & the hard & y^e sharp lyfe in well doynge is better thā y^e swettest in doyeng euyl dedys [Page] and it is better to be without fame thā to haue it bad & pouerte is better thā the rychesses of keytyues and the poore men without vices is better than the ryche man y^t is worshypped for his synnes. ¶ And another sayd it were better not to know an iniuste kynge than to be his cōseyllour or nexte in grace. ¶ And another sayd yf thou gyue for to haue fame onely therby that is not lyberalyte for y^u dost it but for thyn owne auay­le. ¶ And another sayd he is of noo laudable lyfe that is not this daye as good or better as he was the daye passed. ¶ And another sayd thou shalt not mowe ha­ue that that thou desyrest without that thou bere pa­cyently the greues y^t thou woldest not haue. ¶ And another sayd a man shalbe in thy handes as longe as he shall truste the. And it was axed of a wysemā why he desyred not to haue a sone. He answered by cause y^t I haue had ynough ado for to chastise mi body and to adresse my soule without hauynge ony other persone to rule or teche. And it was axed of hym who was he that moost repenteth hȳ in this worlde / & he answred y^e wysemā at his deth bycaufe y^t he hath not wrough aster sapyence & he that hath done good to an vnkyn­de man. And it was axed of hym what thynge encre­ced the law. He answered trouth / & what susteyneth trouth reason & witte / and werby is wytte gouerned by kepynge of the tonge & howe is the tonge kepte / w^t pacyēce. What causeth {per}acyence drede of god & what causeth drede of god often to spek and remembre deth & to consydre and know his fraylnes. ¶ And another sayd su{per}fluyte maketh the body seke wyne troubleth the wytte / wrath is contrary to wysdom / but tempe­raunce conforteth the hert & put awaye all heuynes & [Page] causeth helth. ¶ And sayd howbeit that a wyseman be of lowe kynred yet is he noble and though he be a straunger he sholde be worshypped and though he be poore yet the people haue nede of hȳ. ¶ And another sayd he that endureth & taketh noo payn in his youth resteth hym not in his age. ¶ And another sayd y^e er­rour of a foole gyueth lytell reste to his thoughtes.

¶ And another sayd the tounge of a dyscrete mā is in his hert & the herte of a foole is in his tonge. ¶ And another sayd not w^tstandinge thy nature vse euermo­re good & laudable condycyous. ¶ And another sayde a man ought contynuelly to enquyre what men saye of hym & where in they laude hym and where in they blame hym yf they laude hym he to gyue y^e cause con­tynually without pryde therof & yf they blame hym he to beware fro fallynge ony more to that cas & not to hate them for theyr auertissement. ¶ And sayd he is wyse that is hūble & meke in his myght & power & whan he is in grete estate to dysprayse the world & is attemperate in his grete auctoryte. And one desyred of a wysman to tell hym the difference betwyxte this worlde & y^t other world / & he answered this world is a dreme & the other worlde is a thinge a waked. ¶ And another sayde better is to speke well than to kepe sy­lence and better to kepe sylence than to speke euyl.

¶ And another sayde I haue accompanyed me w^t the ryche men & haue seen theyr ryche arraye clothynge & other thynges better than min were where vpon I had suche enuye & melancolye that I myght haue no rest in my selfe than I accompanyed me w^t poore men lyke as I was & thā I was satysfyed & in peas. And another sayde lyke as a man y^t is in a derke kaue may [Page] not se his propre fygure in lyke wyse the soule that is not clene nor pure may not clerely see {per}ceyue ne kno­we y^e true & parfyte goodnes of almyghty god. And another sayd lyke as the chyldren whā they be borne in payne & entred in to this worlde reioyce them after whan they be grete & fele the delyces & eases therof.

In lyke wyse men be sorowfull whan they shall dye / yet yf they haue lyued well they go after in to a better worlde where they than reioyce them perpetually.

¶ And another sayde as the goodenesse of wysemen goth euermore in amendȳg / in lyke wyse goth y^e ma­lyce of y^e fooles euery day inempayrynge. ¶ And ano­ther sayd yf thou correcte a wyseman he shall thanke the therfore & yf thou teche a foole he shall dysprayse the. ¶ And sayd he is thy very frende / that in thy ne­cessyte offreth hym selfe & his goode vnto the. ¶ And another sayd the gouernour of a wysemā is pacience & the gouernour of a foole pryde. ¶ And another sayd a man that is slouthful in his werkes comynly is en­uyous of the well of other men. ¶ And another sayde it is good to enquyre twyes of thynges vnknowen / for the fyrst questyon is of wyll & the seconde is of dys­crecyon. And another sayde trouth is goddes messa­gyer wherfore she must be worshypped for the loue of her mayster. ¶ And another sayd he that multipleth his temporall goodes dymynueth his spyrytualles.

¶ And another sayd those y^t byleue & drede god steed­fastly haue not delectacyon but onely in hym and in his werkes. ¶ And another sayd the moost laudable werkes that one may doo is to obeye the maūdemen­tes & pleasure of our lorde god & the werke of the body ioyned to werke of the herte is more laudable than [Page] the werke of the herte onely. ¶ And another sayd the euyll creatures ben worse than serpentes lyons or ca­raynes / & in lyke wyse as vpon the erthe there is no­thynge better than the good creatures ryght so there is nothynge worse than those that be wycked. ¶ And another sayd he that taketh vpon hym hygher estate than to hym belōgeth putteth grete payne to be euyll spoken of. ¶ And another sayd he that wyll haue rest in his lyfe ought to kepe hym from foure occasyons / the fyrst is that he ought not to be wroth though som creature lyue whiche he wold haue deed. The secōde is yf some dye whiche he wold haue alyue. The thyr­de is yf he hath not that he desyreth. And the fourthe is yf he se that fortune reise and brynge vp som other of lower deg [...]e than he is. ¶ And another sayd to en­termedle and dele lytyll with worldely werkes is a thynge that may best kepe a man from all incōuenē­tes. ¶ And another sayd the more a wyseman is a­lone the gretter is his ioye be it daye or nyght. ¶ And another sayde the euyl dysposed kinge is lyke a carayne that maketh the erthe stynke aboute it & the good kynge is lyke the fayre rennynge ryuere that is proufytable to the creature. ¶ And another sayd the wyse men are not content to proufyte onely them selse / but semblably do auaūtage to other and the fooles hurte not onely them selfe / but rather take grete laboure to hurt and troubly other folkes. ¶ And another sayd a foole for a lytell thȳge exposeth him lyghtly to fortune ¶ And sayd thou mayst not be so well arrayed nor be seen as w^t trouth. ¶ And another sayd absteynȳge fro wrath & couetyse is a laudable thynge as wel in this [Page] worlde as in the other. ¶ And another sayde / he that gyueth counsyll & prayseth it him selfe wold fayne be called dyscrete. ¶ And another sayd lete not to do wel though thy good dedys be not knowen for well doȳge is so good of it selfe that it shall be vayllable ynought to the at last. ¶ And another sayde a man of good dis­crecyon ought not to exercyse hym in thynges impos­syble ne say thȳges not vayllable ne spende more thā his wynnynge is ne promette more than he may ful­fyll. ¶ And another sayd a man may haue but payne & labour in this worlde. ¶ And sayd he that eteth not shall dye for hunger & yf he eteth more than ynought he shall be seke / wherfore it is a difficile thȳge to a mā to be longe in helth. ¶ And another sayd truste hym not y^t forswereth his fayth for worldely thinges. And another said ydelnesse engendreth ignoraunce & igno­raunse engendreth errour. ¶ And another sayd thou shalt fynde euery where clothynge mete & place for to dwelle in yf y^u be ought but & that suffyseth the not y^t is thy necessarye y^u shalt be subgecte to couetyse & yet y^u shall lacke thy desyre. ¶ And another sayd in longe slepynge is not profyt but harme is to vse it. And a man ought to beware that he dyspende not halfe his lyfe in ydelnesse. ¶ And another sayd the good soule wolde haue no rest in this world thā he that wyl ha­ue a good soule ought to beware of reste. ¶ And ano­ther sayd beware of the cōpany of a lyer in al thy werkes be thy ī grete auctorite or in smal. ¶ And another sayd he that loueth y^e w^t faynt loue & for worldely thȳ­ges shall hate the in lyke wyse but he y^t loueth y^e for y^e {per}petual well shal growe euermore in thy loue. ¶ And another sayd gouerne the so well that y^u kepe the from [Page] euyll doynge / and suffyse the with the good dedys that thou shall do besyde. ¶ And another sayd he that wyll wytte whether his soule be noble and clene or foule and corrupte he ought to consydere his delctayō and his conscyence / and yf he delyteth hym in doynge good vertues and noble thynges without harme thā his soule is clene and noble. And yf he delyteth hym in doynge foule and transitorye thinges and of no va­lue than his soule is foule / for euery thynge reioyseth hym with his semblable the good with the good and the euyll with the euyll. ¶ And another sayd he is happy that goth the ryght waye for he findeth sooner the place wheder he wolde goo and he that goth oute of the waye the more he goth the forther he is behyn­de. And it was axed of a wyseman what was parfite folye / and he answered to thȳke to come to a good estate and prosperyte by bad werkes / to loue falshede and hate trouth / to take delectacyon in rychesses and to truste euery man. And it was axed of hym what is the sygne of lytyll forsyght and lytyll knowlege and he answered one to gyue truste where he hath ben de­ceyued and suffyse you with the trāslacyon of the say­enges of these philosophers.