A treatise of Moral Philosophy, containing the sayings of the wise.  
Gathered and englished by Wylm Baldwyn.   

To the right honourable the Lord Edward Beauchampe, Earl of Hartford, W. Baldwyn wisheth increase of virtue, honour and learning.  
When I had finished this treatise (right honourable lord) I thought it meet according to the good & accustomed usage of writers, to dedicate it unto some worthy person, whose thankful receiving and allowing thereof, might cause it to be the better accepted of other. And forso much as it was not of value to be given to any ancient counsellor which are all therein sufficiently seen already, I judged it most convenient to be given to some that were younger: Among whom for so much as your learning, & virtuous towardness, was greatly commended of divers and sundry credible persons, I doubted not but that your good disposition naturally taken of your virtuous parents, would take in worth the gift of this simple treatise, which although it answer not fully unto your estate, yet disagreeth it not much with your age, which with your good report and virtuous disposition, hath emboldened me to dedicate it unto you rather than to any other: humbly beseeching you to pardon mine audacity herein, and to take in good part the simpleness of my gift. In which so doing, ye shall not only ensue the steps of your honourable father, whom God for his excellent and manifold virtues, joined with very gentleness, hath called to the high office protector of this realm under over sovereign Lord the kings Royal majesty: but shall also cause other the more gladly to desire it, to the great encoraging of me and other like, which for the commodity of our country, would gladly help forward all honest and virtuous studies: Among whom although I am the least both in age, learning & wit, yet is my good will not much behind the foremost.  
And because that your lordship may the better know how to use this treatise, and all other of moral Philosophy, I have in my prologue to the Reader showed the right use thereof: wishing that all which shall read the Book, should first note the Prologue: that philosophy may have her lawful praise, the holy scriptures, their due service & reverence, and God his honour, worship, and glory: Who keep your lordship, with your honourable Parents, in health, and felicity. Amen. ❧   

¶ The Prologue to the Reader.  
When Pericles had gathered an army, making expedition towards the battle of Peloponesus, when his navy was ready rigged, and at the point to launch forth, suddenly there chanced so great a darkness through an Eclipse of the Sun, that the day was as dark as if it had been night, in so much that the stars appeared: at which so sudden and prodigious a wonder the Pilot being amazed and afraid, as were also divers of the soldiers, refused to sail any farther. Which when Pericles perceived, whether it were in contempt of astronomy, or to encourage his astonished soldiers, be took his cloak and blinded there with, the Mariners eyes: and at the last uncovering them again, he asked him if he thought it any wonder because his eyes had be covered a while, and yet were never the worse therefore. And when the Pilot answered that it was not: No more is it (said Pericles) although the Moon shadowing the sun, take away his light for a season. And so contemning a good admonition sent as than by god, he sailed forward, to the destruction of his soldiers, besides the great detriment of all the whole land of Brecia.  
In like manner there be many now a days, which as Pericles despised astronomy, despise all other sciences: devising proper toys (as he did) to dash them out of countenance, tunning headlong through Ignorance, into contempt of all good learning: Not only inventing tryfeling toyed, but also wresting the holy scriptures which they understand not to serve for their pyvish purpose. For if it chance them to be improved with any of the good sayings of the ancient philosophers, which so plainly impugneth their vices, that they be unable by good reason to refel it, tha● on goeth the brazen face, and a cloak must be sought out of scripture either to do deface all philosophy, or else to blind men's eyes withal: But if they understood the Scriptures, or if arrogancy would let them learn to understand them as they be truly meaned, than should they, confessing their lewd and wilful blindness, be ashamed of their many vices, & cease to dispraise that, that is greatly to be commended.  
For although (Good Reader) that philosophy is not to be compared with the most holy scriptures, yet is it not utterly to be despised: which (if men will credit the holy doctors) may be proved by the judgement of S. Augustine, which in his book De doctrina Christiana. cap. xl exhorteth us to the reading thereof, saying If they which be called Philosophers, specially of Plato his sect, have spoken aught that is true, and appertinent to our faith, we ought not only not to fear it, but also to challenge it as 〈◊〉 own, from them which are no right owners thereof. For like as the Egyptians had not only Idols and great burdens which the Israelites did hate and fly, but also vessels ornaments, and goodly jewels of gold and silver, which the israelites departing from Egypt, under the colour of borrowing, stole privily from them, not of their own mind, but by the commandment of God, to turn that to a better use which the Egyptians abused: So in the doctrine of the Bentyles are not only contained superstitious and feigned rites, with great burdens of vain labour, all which we Christians following Christ out from among the unbelieving gentiles, should utterly detest and avoid: but also much good learning, meet for to serve the truth, with some most profitable precepts of good manners, wherein are folide some truth, how to worship the eternal and only God. etc.  
These be the words, judgement, and council of that most holy Doctor concerning Philosophy, the which if many had well remembered. which under the title of philosophical science, have with Sophistry, corrupted the true sense of holy scripture, neither should there have been such contention as now reigneth every where, neither faultless philosophy have been so much despised. Yet think not (Loving Reader) that I allow philosophy to be Scriptures Interpreter, but rather would have it as an handmaiden to persuade such things as Scripture doth command. In which kind when it is used, than may all the praises be verified therupou, with which the ancient philosophers have magnified it.  
among whom Demosthenes the most famous Oratoure among the Greciens, calleth it, namely the moral part, An invention and gift of God. After whom Licero the most excellent and eloquent Orator among the Romans, calleth it the guide of life, and the expulser of vice.  
These and many more like commendations have been thereto attributed, which advance it exceedingly, neither disagreeing with the holy Scriptures. Wherefore every christian man ought diligently to apply it, namely the moral part: which God wrote first in the hearts of men, and afterward willing to have every man to know it, he wrote it in the tables of stone which he gave to Moses, promising by him a reward for such things, which before were observed for virtues sake.  
So that Moral philosophy may well be called that part of god's law, which giveth commandment of outward behaviour: Which differeth from the gospel, in as much as the gospel promiseth remission of sins, reconciling to god, and the gift of the holy ghost, and of eternal life, for Christ's sake, which promise is revealed to us from above, not able to be comprehended by reason, according to the saying of S. john. The sun which is in his father's bosom hath showed it to us. And as for philosophy is nothing else but the observing & eschewing of such things as reason judgeth to be good & bad in the mutual conversation of life, to which god hath promised a reward, and threatened a punishment: so that the gospel is comprehended only by faith, and philosophy is judged by reason.  
Reason only was the cause why all the phylosofers have so extolled philosophy which considered that nothiuge was so requisite and behoveful for man's life, as to live together well and lovingly. For like as life can not be maintained without meat and drink and other like good gifts of Nature: no more could it continue long without laws & manners: the lack whereof, saint john in his Epistle argueth to be the lack of godliness, saying: If we love not our neighbour whom we see, how can we say we love God whom we see not? Which text being well pondered, maketh as much for the commendation of Moral philosophy as any of saint Paul's do to the dispraise thereof. Wherefore I humbly beseech thee (most gentle Reader) to take in good part this simple philosophical treatise, & so to use it as saint Augustine hath taught us, taking the good, and leaving the bad, neither reverencing it as the gospel, neither yet despising it as a thing of no value.  
And sithence the holly Scriptures are now come to light, & Christians have professed to follow and fulfil the same, having also innumerable blessings and rewards promised of God, for our so doing: let us be ashamed that a drop or sparkle of reason should do more in the Heathen Infidles (as we call them,) than ●ll the promises of God among us, which take upon us the name of Christians: ●nd let us so end evour ourselves every man in his vocation, to use such moral ●ertues, and virtuous behaviours one to wards an other, that our love and charity used towards our brethren, may testify our faith and love towards god.  
To whom be all praise honour, and gloyye, for ever & ever. Amen. ⸪  ¶ Love, and Live. Ne quid nimis.  


¶ Of the beginning of Philosophy. Cap. i.  
SOme perhaps, seeing we intend to speak of a kind of philosophy, will move this question more curious than necessary: where & how philosophy began, & who the enuenters thereof, and in what nation. Of which sith there is so great diversity among writers, some attributing it to one, & some to another, as the Tracians to Orpheus, the Grecians to Linus the Lybians to Atlas, the Pheniciens to Ochus, the Perciens to their Magos, the Assiriens to their Chaldees, the Indians to their Gymnosophistes, of which Buddas was chief, and the Italians to Pythagoras, the French men to their Druids, bringing each one of them brobable reasons, to confirm herein their opinions: It shallbe hard for a man of our time (in which many writings are lost, or at lest hid) fully herein to satisfy their question. Nevertheless for so much as God himself (as witnesseth our most holy scriptures) is the author & beginning of wisdom, ye wisdom itself, which is called of the Philosophers Sophia, therefore I suppose that god, which always loved most the hebrews, taught it them first, if ye ask to whom, I think (as also testifieth josephus) to his servant Abraham, who being in Assiria, taught it both to the Caldees and to the Egyptians. The sons of Seth were also studious in astronomy which is a part of Philosophy, as appeared by the pillars, wherein after noah's flood (which they by their grand father Abraham had knowledge of) their science was found by them engraved: and after the flood was by Noah, and his children taught to other nations, of which I grant that he which every country calleth the first finder, hath been in the same country better than the rest: as among the Egyptians Mercurius trismegistus or Hermes, whose works both divine and Philosophical, exceed far all other that thereof have entreated. Nevertheless the Grecians (which have been always desirous of glory) challenge to themselves the invention thereof, and have therein taken great pains, naming it first Sophia, and such as therein were skilled sophists or wizards, which so continued until Pythagoras' time, which being much wiser than many other before him, considering that there was no wisdom but of god, and that God himself was alone wise, he called himself a Philosopher, a lover of wisdom, and his science philosophy. There were besides these Sophistes, an other kind called Sapientes or Sages, as was Thales, Solon, Periander, Cleobolus, Chilon, Bias & Pittachus, & thus there were in all three sects, that is to say, wizards which were called sophists, and sages which were called sapientes, & lovers of wisdom which were called Philosophers, all whose science, was philosophy, as we may call it natural wisdom. Of which the kind called jonica began in Anaximander, and ended in Theophrastus, And tother kind called Italica. began in Pythagoras, and ended in the Epicure.   

¶ Of the parts of Philosophy. Cap. two  
Philosophy is sorted into iii parts, Physic, Ethicke, and Dialectyke. The office of physic is, to discern and judge of the world, and of such things as are therein: It is the part of Ethicke, to treat of life and manners, and it is the duty of Dialectike, that is Logic, to make reasons to prove and improve both physic and also Ethicke, which is moral philosophy. Now as for Physic, although it altogether be not from our purpose, for why it conserveth the body in health, without which moral wisdom availeth little, yet because it is more than we may accomplish, shallbe omitted, and such as therein have delight, (which all ought to have, that that love their bodily health) may read Galene, Hypocrates, Aristotle, and other such, which thereof entreat plentifully, absolutely, & perfectly. Logycke also, because our matter is so plain, that experience daily proveth it, shall not greatly need for our purpose, which desire rather to be plain & well understanded, than either with logic or rhetoric, to dispute and garnish our matter. But moral philosophy, which is the knowledge of precepts of all honest manners, which reason acknowledgeth to belong and appertain to man's nature (as the thing in which we differre from other beasts) and also is necessary for the comely governance of man's life, shall here be spoken of: not reasoned to the trial, but simply and rudely declared: yet so, that such as therein delight, although not fully satisfied, shall not be utterly deceived of their purpose.   

¶ Of the beginning of moral philosophy. Cap. iii.  
Necessity as I judge (& that not without cause) was the first finder out of moral philosophy, & Experience, which is a good teacher, was the first master thereof, & taught such as gave diligence to mark & consider things, to teach and instruct other therein: and because Socrates in a manner despising the other two kinds of Philosophy, added this as the third, & taught it more than any of the rest, therefore (because men must be the beginners of men's matters) I assent with Laertius, to call him the first beginner thereof. For although even among the Atheniences, the Sages, as Thales and Solon, both spoke and wrote of like matter before him, yet because he so earnestly embraced it, and equally placed it with the other twain, he deserveth well the glory of the first beginner thereof: and although he wrote it not in books (for which as him thought he had a lawful excuse, or rather a good cause) yet his disciple Plato hath written such things of his teaching, as few so fully wrote of before: which was as it is evident, many years before jesus the son of sirach, whose work we for the purity of the doctrine therein contained, reverence and honour: which as he himself calleth it, is a book of moral wisdom, thought full of divinity, as are also many of Plato's works, as witnesseth Saint Augustine. And therefore because Socrates was before jesus sirach, I refer the invention, I should say the beginning thereof, unto him. As for salomon's works are more divine than moral, & therefore I rather worship in him the divinity, than ascribe the beginning of moral Philosophy, wishing all men and exhorting them both to learn and to follow, those so divine and holy works, uttered by him in his book of proverbs.   

¶ Of the kinds of teaching of moral Philososophye. Cap. iiii.  
ALL that have written of moral philosophy, have for the most part taught it, either by precepts, counsel, and laws, or else by proverbs, parables, & semblables. For which cause it may well be divided into. three kinds, of which the first is by councils, laws, & precepts, of which Lycurgus, Solon, Isocrates, Cato, and other more, have written much. Councelling and admonishing men to virtue by precepts, & by their laws fraying them from vice.  
The second kind of teaching, is by proverbs & Adages: which kind, of Philosophers most commonly is used, in which they show the contrarieties of things, ferring alway the best, declaring thereby both the profits of virtue, & the inconveniences of vices, that we considering both, may embrace the good, and eschew the evil.  
The third kind is by Parables, Examples and Semblables. Wherein by esye and familiar truths, harder things & more out of use are declared, that by the one the other may be better perceived & borne in mind: which way our saviour Christ himself, when he taught the gross jews, any divine thing, most commonly used.  
Parrables, semblables and examples, (though differing in somewhat) draw all to one kind. The which kind Esopus moste of all used, alluding and bringing unreasonable things, to teach and instruct men, in grave & weighty matters.   

¶ The order of this book. Cap. v.  
OF these iii kinds of moral Pholosophye last rehearsed, consisteth this work, every kind by itself sundered into a book, that it may the better be understand of all that shall read the same, the matter of all which three, is gathered out of the works of the most pure & ancient Philosophers, and specially of these following.  
Mercurius trismegistus Hermes.  
Pythagoras Italicus.  
Thales Milesius.  
Solon Salaminus.  
Chilo Lacedemoniencis.  
Bias Prienneus.  
Periander of Corinth.  
Anacharcis the Scythian.  
Etius Myson Cheneus.  
Cpimenides Cretensis.  
Anaxagoras Eubulinus.  
Phericides the Sirian.  
Socrates of Athens.  
Xenophon of Athens.  
Aristippus of Athens.  
Plato Atheniencis divinus.  
Isocrates.  
Xenocrates of Calcedonie.  
Archelaus.  
Aristoteles Stagirites.  
Diogenes,  
plutarch.  
Seneca.  
And for so much as the good life of a man, is cause of his better estimation, the lives of all these before named, shallbe first showed in a book by themselves: wherein also, part of their witty answers are contained: which is set forth only for this purpose, that we Christians ashamed of ourselves, in beholding the lives of these Heathen persons, may amend, and follow the good doctrine that they have taught us.  
In the second book which is called the book of precepts and counsels, shallbe declared what these men thought of god, of the soul, of the world, of death, of friendship, of counsel, of silence, of riches and of poverty, with their witty sayings of, and concerning the same matters: After which their good precepts orderly shall follow.  
In the third book, which is the book of proverbs or pytthy sayings, shall things be showed worthy of memory. In the end whereof shall follow some of their principal sentences, drawn into metre, to the intent they may be the eselyer learned, and better kept in mind.  
In in forth book, called the book of parables or semblables, shall appear the great zeal that the Phylisophers always have had, to teach by all manner means that wit might imagine, this so precious and needful a science, to all kind of people. And if it shall chance that in any of these books, through Ignorance or Negligence somewhat shall be misordered, or not to fully handled as it should be, and as the matter requireth: The excuse shallbe that in this treatise no perfection is pretended, and only is set forth as a show, to make men thereby desirous, to have the perfection of the thing, which it representeth. And like as a whetstone although it be dull itself, yet causeth instruments, to be more kene●: So by this blunt treatise, such as are apt there unto, shallbe provoked to set forth better. This being in the mean while used, as a preparation to others works which here upon may follow.  
Now the order and intent of the book, being known, there is no danger but that with judgement, the process may both be red, learned, and followed.   

¶ The lives and witty answers of the Philophers, and first of Hermes. Cap. vi.  
FOr as much as of all the philosophers, of whom we purpose to write, Hermes, otherwise called Mercurius Trismegistus, is not only the most excellent, but also the most ancient, therefore as he is most worthy, his life shallbe first declared: which because it is not wholly set forth, nor all agreeing in that which is set forth, therefore giving credit to the most true writers, it shallbe set forth as they among them by pieces have preserved it. Of whom saint Augustine the worshipful doctor sayeth.  
Atlas' the Astrologian, the brother of Promotheus the Physician, flourished, and was highly accepted, the same time, in which Moses was borne: which Atlas was grandfather by the mother side, to Mercurius the elder, whose Nephew was this Mercurius Trismegistus, which in the Egyptian tongue is called Hermes. Howbeit some which write of him, hold opinion that he was Enoch, which as they say, signifieth the same in Hebrew, that Hermes doth in the Egyptian tongue. And so make him in the seventh degree from Adam: reckoning after this sort. Adam begat seethe, the father of Enos, the father of Caynan, the father of Malalael, the father of Matusale the father of jareth, which is the father of Enoche. Which opinion (although it be not to be utterly rejected) yet is not sufficient without proof to be believed. For Enoche whom they take for Hermes, was before noah's flood, in which all the works which were written, if they had at that time any use of letters, were drowned: but the works of this Hermes of whom we entreat, are yet appearing in divers languages, wherefore it should seem that this was not he, except we should say that he graved it in the stone pillars, in which in time of the flood, astronomy was preserved, which might well be, and but that saint Augustine, & Pamphilus in his chronicle, and saint jerom thereupon, appoint the contrary, I could well believe. For jamblicus & divers other, write much of Mercurius Pyllers. And Mercurius was of such same among the Egyptians, that they put forth all their works under his name. And the poets for his singular learning, make him a god, & call him the messenger of jupiter, whom they call the god of heaven & governor of all. And it may be, that the pillars which the sons of Seth (of whose image he was) made, were graven by him, which (as many write) are full of learning: out of which as testifieth jamblicus, both Pythagoras and Plato with divers other more, learned Philosophy. But those pillars I take rather to be his ii goodly books, which may very well be called pillars, for why they bear both divinity, (if with Lactancius I may so call it) and also Philosophy, which were peradventure also graven in Sethes children's pillars, & thereout drawn by some that hath been since. Of which ii books the first called Pymander, is so full of divinity, as may astonysh the wits of such as therein shall read: which causeth. S. Augustine, to doubt whether he spoke such things as he did by knowledge of Astronomy, or else by revelation of spirits. How be it Lactantius doubteth not to count him among the Cibile's, and Prophets. The other book called Asclepius being but small, containeth in it the hole sum of natural philosophy, out of which I think no less, but that the Philosophers have learned out their Science. Tully & Lactancius (not showing in what time) say that there were five Mercuries, & that this is the fift, whom the Egipcians call Theuth, and the greciens Trismegistus, & that this is he which slew Argus, & was ruler of the Egipcians, and gave them laws, and instructed them in learning, & devised marks & shapes of letters after the form of beasts, & trees. He was called Trismegistus, because he was the chiefest Philosopher, the chiefest priest, & the chiefest king. He prophesied of the regeneration, and believed the resurrection of the body, and the immortality of the soul, and gave his subjects warning to eschew sin, threatening them with the judgement of god, wherein they should give accounts of their wicked deeds. He taught them also to worship god with divers kinds of ceremonies, and taught them in all matters to make their prayers unto god, and instructed the islands in the knowledge of god. And when he had lived into a perfect old age, he gave place to nature. His precepts, proverbs, and parables, shallbe spoken of in their places.   

¶ Of Pythagoras Cap. seven.  
PYthagoras the Philosopher borne in Samia, was a rich merchant man's son, called Demarratus, howbeit he was richer than his father, which was not able with his merchandise to get so much, as he despised: which was both rich in abstinence from covetise, and also in Wisdom, which is the very riches: of which in his youth he was so desirous, that he went first to Egypt, and after to Babylon, to learn astronomy, and the beginning of the worlds creation: which when he had learned, he returned into Crete, & Lacedemonia, to see Lycurgus, and Mynoes' laws. In which when he was perfect, he went unto Cevona, where was a people exceedingly given to luxury, and all kind of vice, among whom he so behaved himself, that he reformed them from their evil manners, & in small time brought them to such soberness, that men would never have thought it had been possible. For the wives, that were forsaken of their husbands, and children cast of by their parents, he so instructed, that they were received again. He caused the women also to set aside their gorgeous attires, reaching them that chastity, was the chief ornament of honest women. This Pythagoras (as sayeth Boetius) was the inventor of music among the Grecians, which he found out by the sounds of hammers, whereof he wrote a book, which Boetius and Apuleyus, translated into Latyn. Saint Augustyne in his viii book de civitate dei, saith that Philosophy was so named by him, which before was called Sophia. For when it was asked him what sciencer he was, he answered a Philosopher, which is a desirer of wisdom: thinking it a great arrogancy, to have called himself wise. Tullius sayeth that Pythagoras spoke so wisely, and so ornatly before Leontius a king, that he, wondering at his wit, and Eloquence, desired him to show what science he knew best, to whom he answered, that he knew no science: but was a Philosopher. At which, for the newness of the name the king astonished, asked him what was a Philosopher, & what difference was between Philosophers and other men. To whom Pythagoras said. Man's life seemeth to me, to be like a congregation of people gathered to see a game, to which men resort for sundry purposes: some by their own activity to win the worship of the game, & other some for lucre sake, to by or sell somewhat, and othersome minding neither to gainne nor to profit, come only to behold and see what is done: And in like manner men which are come unto this life, as out of an other life & nature, occupy themselves with diligence, to get praise or profit, or regarding neither, apply their minds to search and to know the nature of things, which sort last named, we call Philosophers, that is to say lovers of wisdom: Thus by this goodly parable he uttered his mind, in the continuance whereof also, he praiseth and proveth his science to be best, saying. Like as he which cometh to see the game only, is more liberalle, ye and more to be praised, than the rest: so likewise he which in this life giveth his mind to wisdom and knowledge, aught more to be accepted than any of the rest. Saint Augustine sayeth that he was well skilled in Nicromancye, which may be very well, for in that time it was much set by, and none thought wise, that therein was ignorant. Ualerius sayeth that his hearers worshipped him so much, that they thought it a great sin to forget aught which they heard of him, in disputing any matter.  
His words were so esteemed that it was a cause good and sufficient in any matter, to say that Pythagoras said so.  
He was so good a Philosopher, as scarce any deserveth to be his match. He kept justice so much, that after his death, the authority of his name ruled the people of Italic, which in time past was called Magna Grecia. He was so sparing and profitable, that some think he never did eat any dainty meats. He taught many young men, whose aptness he knew always by their countenance, gesture and manners. And he with all his disciples, lived in common together, as well in love, as in other manners. For he taught them, that true friendship was, to make one heart and mind of a great many hearts & bodies. In so much that Damon and Pythias which were of his sect, loved so together (as sayeth Ualerius Maximus) that when Dionysius the Tyrant would have killed the one of them, which desiring licence to go and dispose his goods before his death, was granted his request, if he could get another in the mean while that would be his pledge, who if he came not again at the time appointed, should die for him: his fellow not regarding his life, so much as his true petition: became his pledge. And the other being let go, came again at his time appointed, to redeem his fellow from his death: which faithfulness in both the tyrant Dionisius scing, not only forgave them both, but also desired that he might be the third of that fellowship, that had rather die than to fail in friendship. A notable example of most constant friendship, and of good instruction therein. To one that asked him what he thought of women's weeping, he said. There are in a woman's eyes, two kinds of tears: The one of grief, and the other of deceit. To a covetous man he said: O role thy riches are lost upon thee, and are very poverty, for why thou art neither the warmer, better fed, nor richer for them. It was axed him if he desired to be rich, to which he answered nay, saying: I despise to have those riches, which with liberality are wasted and lost, and with sparing, do rust and rot. To one that was gaily appareled, and spoke uncomely things, he said: Either make thy speech like unto thy garments, or else thy garments like unto thy language. It chanced a fool in Pythagoras' presence, to say that he had rather be conversant among women, than among Philosophers, to which he said: yea, swine had rather lie routing in dirt & in draff, than in clear and fair water. Being asked what new thing was in the world, he answered: nothing.  
Being asked what was philosophy, he said: The meditation or remembrance of death, labouring daily to get the soul liberty in this prison of the body.  
He was the first among the Grecians that held opinion that the soul was immortal.  
He kept school in Italy, and lived in to a great age, and after that he was dead, the people reverenced him so much, that they made a temple of his house, and worshipped him as a god. He flourished in the time of Nabuchodonoser, king of Babylon. His precepts, proverbs, and parables, shall follow in their places.   

¶ Of Thales Milesius. Cap. viii.  
THales (as sayeth Herodotus, Democritus and Duris) had to his father a noble man, called Examius, and to his mother Cleobulina, of the stock of Cadinus & Age nor: and was borne (sayeth Plato) under D●masius prince of Athens, and is the first that ever was called a Sage, or wiseman.  
He flourished at Milerum what time Oseas was judge in Israel, & Romulus' Emperor of Rome: what time Scnnacherib king of the Chaldees, sent the Assyrians to inhabit jury, which after the counting of Eusebius, was them. 4450. year from the creation of the world.  
This Thales was very well learned, both in astronomy and Physic: & wrote many goodly works, & was a citizen at Miletum, as Phalerius writeth, and was come of a noble lineage, who after he had dispatched his business belonging to the common weal, gave himself to the searching out of natural causes. And surely he was a profitable counsellor to the common weal: For when as Croesus demanded to have had his fellows, he would not grant to it, which afterward when Cyrus had gotten the victory, was cause of saving their city. Heraclides sayeth that he lived solitarily, but some say he took a wife, and had a child called Cidistus, and other say that he lived chaste all his life long: & when it was asked him why he would not get children, he answered, because he would not be bound to love them. When his mother cried on him continually to take a wife, he would say he was to young: and afterward when his youth was past, and his mother still importunate, he would say it was out of season, & to late.  
He would say always he was bound to thank Fortune, but forthre causes chiefly: first because he had reason, and was not a beast: secondly because he was a man, and not a woman: thirdly because he was borne a Grecian and no Barbarian. He said there was no difference between death and and life, and being axed therefore why he died not, because (ꝙ he) I should then make a difference: when he was asked whether god know men's evil works. Ye (ꝙ he) and their thoughts to. To an advowtrer that axed him whither he might swear that he was no adulterer, he said. Pariury is not worse than adultery. when he was asked what thing was hardest? He answered: A man to know himself: & what was esiest? He said to admonish other, what was sweatest? For a man (saith he) to use that he hath: what is god? That that lacketh be ginning and end. And when he was asked what was the most difficile & seldest seen thing?  
He answered an old Tyrant. A seld seen thing in dead, for god either taketh them away before they be old, or else in their old age changeth their hearts, being demanded how a man might best suffer adversity? To see (said he) his enemies in worse plight than himself. It was axed him how we might live best and most righteously? to which he answered: to fly those things ourselves which we reprove in other. Being axed who was happy, he said: he that hath his bodily health, is fortunate in riches, not of a vain mind but learned. These are part of his witty answers, his precepts, proverbs, & semblables, shallbe spoken of in their places. This Thales as witnesseth Appollidorus, lived lxx●●ii. years. Sosicrates sayeth lxxxx. years, and that he died in the lviii. olympiad, and flourished in Croesus' time, to whom he promised, that he would cause the river Alm, to run backwards against the stream. There were many more of this name as testifieth Demetrius, Duris, & Dionysius, but this Thales Milesius the sage, being old, & worn in age, died of heat & thirst, whiles he beheld a triumph. Some say that as he went forth of his house to behold the stars, he fell down suddenly into a pit, and was therefore mocked of an old wife that he kept in his house with this saying: O Thales how thinkest thou to comprehend those things that are in heaven, which canst not see such things as are before thine eyes.   

¶ Of Solon Salaminus. Ca ix.  
Like as there is among writers great variance (as I said before) about the first Philosopher, even so is there great contention which were the seven sages: but as their variance maketh doubtful which were the persons, so their hole consent assureth that there were such. And for because we intend, not so much to show the persons and names, as their good doctrine, therefore it shallbe sufficient that a wise and approved Philosopher hath said such things as to them are attributed, yet as for good causes, I have allowed Socrates for the first moral Philosopher, after Lacrtius' mind, ●o do I best allow Lacrtius judgement in this matter, which saith that these were they: Thales, Solon, Periander, Cleobulus, Chilon, Bias, and Pittachus.  
Of whom although Periander were a tyrant, yet because that for his good doctrine he hath of the learned long time been allowed, therefore shall he enjoy that, which they have given him.  
Of Thales ye have heard already, after whom Solon is next, which was the son of Existides, and was borne in Salamina, and thereof was called Salaminus. He gave many good laws, and did many worthy deeds, worthy to be remembered: Among which this is very notable. After that the Athemences and Megarences, had made great war and great slaughter between them, to have had the signory of his country Salamina, and were both sore wearied with wars, they made a law at Athens that no man pain of his head, should speak or persuade aught to challenge the island, any more. Than Solon being troubled and thoughfull for his country, fearing least with holding his peace, he should do small good to the common weal, and again if he should speak, it should be for his hurt, suddenly feigned himself mad: thinking thereby, not only to speak, but also to do such things as were forbidden. And diguising himself ● he ran abroad among he heartless people, And there in the manner of a crier he persuaded the people that which was forbidden, & stirred up their minds so much, that incontinent they began war to obtain the Island, and so at last they got it. He persuaded them also to challenge Chersonesun a city in Tracie, affirming that it was their right. And by this means so won the people's love, that they gladly would have made him Ruler: but as saith Sosicrates, he had a neighbour called Pisistratus which tyrannously endeavoured to hurt him, which as soon as he knew, he armed himself and went into the street, and when he had called a great company about him, he discovered Pisistratus treason, and not only that, but also that he was ready to amend it, & that he would fight for his liberty, saying.  
Ye men of Athenes, I am wiser than some, & valianter than other some. I am wiser than those that mark not Pisistratus, and I am valianter than those, which know him and dare not for fear show what he is: But the Senate that took Pisistratus part, said he was mad, and when he saw he could have no redress, he laid down his harness before them, & said. O country I have always holp the both with word & dead: And then sailed into Cypress, and there met with Croesus, who demanding of him whom he thought happy, he laid: Thelus of Athens, and Byto, and such other, which all all men spoke of. Another time when Croesus had garnished himself richly, and was set in his high throne: he asked him, if ever he had seen a more gorgeous sight, ye (ꝙ he) both Capons, pheasants, and Peacocks, for their goodly colours are natural. From Croesus he went into Cilicia, and there builded a city, and after his own name, called it Solos. He made many good laws for such as were warriors, if any had got victory, he should have a great reward for his labour, and such as were slain, had their wife and children found of the common purse ever after. He made a law, that no executor should dwell with any orphans mother, nor that any should be executor to whom after the heirs death his goods shall belong. And that no ●yng or seal maker should keep the print of any ●olde seal. And that who so ever had put out a man's eye, shall lose both his own for it. And that whosoever took ought that was not his own, should die for it. And that if any governor were found drunken, to die for it. And that no man should give any dowry with his daughter: with many more good laws. When he was demanded why he made no law against such as killed their father or mother? He answered, because it is a desperate mischief. Being demanded how men might best keep them from breaking the law? he said: if such as have no wrong be as sorry and and careful, as those that are wronged. He would say to rich men: Abundance groweth from riches, and disdain out of abundance. He wrote many books, both of verses, laws, & other matters, besides many goodly epistles. He flourished in the xlvi olympiad, and was prince of Athens the iii year which was from the worlds creation .4605. years, he lived lxxx years▪ and died in Cypress, commanding his servants to ●ary his bones to Salomina, and there being made in powder, to sow them about the city. Dioscorides writeth that when he was asked why he wept for his sons death, sith it profited him nothing? He answered even for this cause I weep, because I can profit him nothing. Thus much of his laws, and answers: the rest of his sayings shall be spoken of, in their places.   

¶ Of Chylo Lacedemoniencis. Cap. x.  
CHylo the son of Damagetus, was borne in Lacedemonia. He wrote many verses, & held an opinion that man by reason, might comprehend the foreknowledge of things to come, by the might and power of his manhood. There were in his time (as sayeth So●icrates and Pamphilia) divers offices: of which one was most noble, and the officers called Ephori, which were kings follows: Wherefore his brother being angry because he would not take that office, sith he himself had been in it before: O brother (ꝙ he) I can suffer wrong, and so canst not thou. This man (as Herodotus writeth in the first book of his histories) seeing on a time Hipocrates sacrifice and vessels in Olimpo, to burn without help of fire, counseled him, either to live chaste, or if he were married, to put away his wife, & slay his children. Some say that when Aesop (which was in his time) asked him what jupiter did, he answered: he mekeneth the mighty and exalteth the lowly: Being demanded wherein the learned differed from the ignerant, he answered: In their good hope. To him that asked what was hard, he said: to keep close secret counsel, to keep a man from idleness, & to suffer wrong. He lived so well, that when he was old, he said that he never in his life to his knowledge, had done any evil, save that on a time when he should have been judge among his friends, & would do nothing contrary to the law, he persuaded one to appeal from him to some other judge, that thereby he might both keep the law, & also his friend. The Greeks rejoiced in him much, because he prophesied of Cytherea, an island of Laconia. For when he had well advised, both the nature and situation thereof: would to god (ꝙ he) that either this island had never been, or else that it had been drowned as soon as it was seen: A worthy & prophet like saying. For Demaratus flying from Lacedemonye, counseled Xerxes to keep a navy of ships in that island. And surely if he had periwaded him thereto, he should have got great riches by Gretia. And afterward Niceas, (after he had warred at Peloponesus) overcame that place. And made it a refuge for the men of Athens, and afflicted sore the lacedemonians. He was brief in communication, in so much that brief spaking was of his name, called Chilonia. He was old about the li olympiad. In which time Esopus the orator was in his flowers, which was in the year from the worlds creation. 4624. he died at 〈◊〉, saith Heimippus, while he kissed his son, that was crowned in Olimpia being overcome both 〈◊〉 joy & also with age. The rest of his sayings shallbe spoken of in their places.   

¶ Of Bias Prienneus. Cap. xi.  
Bias Prieneus, (as saith Diogenes,) was borne in Priena. His father's name was Teutamius. Satirus 〈…〉 him the first of the seven sages. And many guess that he was 〈…〉. Phanodicus writeth that he redeemed many wenches of Messena, which were captives & brought them up as his own daughters: and afterwards, giving them dowries, sent them home again to their country, unto their friends. Not long after, certain fishers found a golden trestell, on which was written, Sapienti, that is to say, this is for a wise man. Which when the forenamed wenches fathers heard of, they said Bias was a wiseman, and sent it him, but when he saw it, he said Apollo was a wiseman, and that he sent it him. We find that when his country Priena was besieged of Aliattes, he fed two mules for the nonce, insomuch that they were exceeding fat, and drove them forth into his enemies tents: which when Aliattes saw, he was amazed, thinking by the fatness of them, that they had great plenty of all things. And thinking to areyse the siege, he sent a messenger into the city, to search the truth.  
And when Bias perceived the kings intent, he made many great heaps of sand to be covered with wheat, & showed them to the messenger: which when the king knew, thinking that they had had great plenty of victuals, made peace with them, and sent commandment to Bias to come unto him, to which Bias answered: I command the king to eat onions and to weep. He wrote about ii m. verses. Being asked what was difficile? he said: to take in good worth adversity after prosperity. O natu●●e he sailed among wicked men, and when the ship was sore shaken with great tempest, and those wicked men called upon god, peace (ꝙ he) that he see you not sailing from hence. To a wicked man that asked him what was goodness, he gave no answer. And when he asked why he answered him not, he said: because thou inquirest of that, which pertaineth not to the. He would say that he had rather be judge among his enemies than among his friends, for of his enemies he should make one his friend but among his friends he should make one his foe. Being asked in what deed a man rejoiced most, he answered: when he gaineth. He was a good orator, and when he was very old, as he pleaded a cause for one of his friends, after he had done his oration, being weary and faint with speaking, he rested his head in his neces lap, which was his daughter's son: and when his adversary began afresh and had finished, and the judges had given their sentence on his side, whose part Bias took, assoon as the judgement was ended, he was found dead in his nephews bosom, which buried him worthily. And the citizens of Priena, dedicated a chapel to him which is called Teutonium. He would say alway the greater part are evil. The rest of his sayings shallbe spoken of, in their places.   

¶ Of Periander. Cap. xii.  
PEriander as sayeth Heraclides, was borne in Corinth, his father's name was Cipcelus, he married a wife called Licydes, which was the daughter of Procleus, a tyrant of Epidaur, and by her had two sons: the one called Cypselus, and the other Lycophrone, of which the younger was very wise, but th'elder was a fool. This Periander was well learned And wrote a book of ii M. verses, nevertheless he was a Tyrant, & exercised so much his tyranny that all men did hate him: he was about the xxxviii olympiad in Solon's time. And he executed his Tyranny xl. years. Some say there were two Periander's, th'one a tyrant, the other a Philosopher, which might well be: nevertheless this Tyrant is he, whom Laertius reckoneth for one of the seven sages, whose opinion I allow not. For like as he for his evil doctrine disalloweth Orpheus to be a Philosopher, so I for his evil living disallow Periander, to be any of the leaven sages, although he have written many wise sayings. For as in Philosophy nothing is less allowed than ignorance, so in wisdom nothing is more abhorred than Tyranny, in which this Periander excelled, in so much that when he was demanded why he continued in his tyranny? because it is dangerous (ꝙ he) for a man to yield himself either of his own accord, or else against his will: Nevertheless he would say (as wicked Hannibal said of peace) that who so would rain in surety ought to endeavour them to have their subectes obedient with love, and not with force. And pet he himself sought nothing less. For one a time he being very angry, flung his wife being great with child down a pair of stairs, and trod her under his feet, and so killed her. And sent away his son Lycophorna, because he mourned for his mother, & drove him unto Corcyra. And afterward when he himself was very old, he sent for him again: that he might with his own hands play the tyrant with him: which when the men of Corcira knew, they put him to death themselves, to deliver him from his father's tyranny. And when Periander heard that, raging in his fury, he took all their children, & sent them to Aliattes a tyrant to be slain: but when the ship wherein they were approached unto Samos, they vowing to juno, were saved of the Samnites: which when Periander heard of, he being lxxx year old, what with sorrow, and what with woodness, died. This was his life, which should not have been rehearsed, save that for his good sayings, which shallbe spoken of in their places. Neither would we that any man should take example hereby, but rather should see how shameful it is for a Christian, to have the like conditions.   

¶ Of Anacharsis. Cap. xiii.  
ANacharsis the Scythian was the son of Gnurus, brother to Caduidus king of Scythia. But his mother was a Grecien. By reason whereof he was learned in both the languages, and wrote much both of the Scythians and Greciens laws, and also of wars & martial affairs. Sosicrates saith that he was at Athens in the xlvii Olimpiad under the Prince Eucrates. And Hermippus sayeth that he went to Solon's house, and when he was at his gate, that he bode one of the house, to tell Solon that Anacharsis was without, and that he desired greatly if he might, to be his gest, and have his acquaintance: when the servant had told Solon, he sent him word again that he made gests of his own country folks, which when Anacharsis heard, he went in boldly, and said. Now am I in my country. And when Solon saw his wit & wisdom, he admitted him, not only for a gest, but also for a principal friend.  
He had this one goodly saying, worthy to be noted. The vine bringeth forth iii grapes, the firsste of pleasure, the second of drunkenness, and the third of sorrow. Being asked what should cause a man most to be sober, he said: to behold see, and remember the filthy bestlines of drunkards. Being on a time in a ship, after that he knew it was but four inches thick, he said that they were nigh death that sailed. Being asked what ship was most sure: that (ꝙ he) that cometh safe to the haven: when he was demanded whether there were more dead than alive? he asked in which side he should count mariners. Being upbraided of a man of Athens, because we was a Scythian: in dead (quoth he) my country is a reproach to me, but thou art a reproach to thy country. To one that asked him if a wiseman might marry a wife? he said what thinkest thou that I am? & when the other affirmed that he was a wise man, well (ꝙ he) I have married a wife. When he was reproved of fearfulness, he said that his fearfulness caused him to abstain from sin. To a woman that said he was foul and ill-favoured, he said: thou art so foul and filthy a mirror, that my beauty can not be seen in the. When it was axed him why wisemen would ask counsel? he answered: for fear of mingling their wills which their wits. To a painter that was be come a physician, he said: The faults that thou madest before in thy works might soon be espied, but them that thou makest now, are hid under the earth. For dead men's diseases are buried with them.  
Being asked what was both good and evil to a man, he answered: the tongue. He would say that the market was a place appointed for men to deceive in, and to apply themselves to avarice. To a young man that was his gest, which slandered him, he said: well young man if while thou art young, thou canst not suffer wine, when thou art old, thou must be content with water. He was the first (as some think) that invented the anchor. He was long time with Solon, and thence returned into his own country, & there intending to change their laws, and to have established the Greciens laws, was slain of his brother with a shaft, as he road on hunting: and when he felt his deaths wound, he said: I have been preserved in Grecia, by wisdom and learning, but at home and in my country, I perish through envy. Some write that he was slain, while he was sacrificing after the manner of the Gretiens. The rest of his sayings shall be spoken of in their places.   

¶ Of Myson. Cap. xiiii.  
OF this Mison is great variance among writers, & all through the doutiulnes of Apollo's answer: For when Anacharsis axed of Apollo who was wiser than he? he answered: Ecius, Myson, Cheneus, but some say that Apollo said not Ecius but Eteus: and so they ask what Eteus is. Parmenides saith it is a village of Laconia, in which Myson was borne. But Sosicrates saith, that his father was called Eteus, and his mother Cheneum. Euthyphron saith that he was of Crete, and that Heraclides Ponticus was his father, but Anaxilaus, saith that he was of Arcadia: thus there is controversy about him, in which I allow best Sosicrates mind. But after that Apollo had given this answer, Anacharcides being troubled their with, came unto Mison, in the Summer time, and found him making a share for his plough, and mocking him therefore, said: iwis Myson it is no meet time to go to Plough now: No (ꝙ he) but is meet enough to prepare & make it ready. He lived solitarylye, and when a man by chance met him laughing to himself, & axed him why he laughed so, sith no man was present there with him, he answered: Even therefore, do I laugh. He wrote many goodly works, & died when he was lxxvii. year old. His goodly sayings shallbe spoken of in their places.   

¶ Of Epimenides. Cap. xv.  
THeopompus saith that Phestius was Epimenides father. Other say that Dosiades was, other some say Age●iarchus. He was borne in Crete in a street called Gnosus. This Epimenides being on a time, sent of his father, into the country, to fetch home a sheep, about nonetyde as he travailed with the sheep on his neck, being weary, he went into a cave, and slept lvii year. And when he waked, he sought for the sheep, and because he could not find him, he went back again into the field, and when he saw that all things were changed, being greatly astonished, he returned to the town: and when he would have entered into his own house, they asked who he was? and when he saw his younger brother, he was so old that he knew him not: but at last after much communication he told his brother all that had chanced him: which when it was noised abroad, every man took him for one high in god's favour. Wherefore on a time, when as the Atheniences were plagued with the pestilence, & were counseled of Apollo to purge their city, they sent for Niceas & him unto Crete, who when he was come to Athens, purged it in this manner. He took sheep both white and black, and brought them into a sheepcote, and suffered them to go thence whither they would: commanding them which followed them to sacrifice them to god, in the place where they first lay down: which done the plague ceased. The Atheniences delivered thus from destruction, gave him a great sum of money and also a ship to carry him again into Crete, but he forsaking their money, only desired their friendship: and so departed. A little after that he was come home he died, being cxcvii years old as sayeth Phasgo, but as his country folk say, he lived. 299. years. He wrote many works in prose & in verse, of which somewhat shallbe showed in their places. Some think that he died not at that age, but fell asleep again until an other time.   

¶ Of Anaxagoras. Cap. xvi.  
ANaxagoras was an exceeding well learned man, and came of a good stock: his father's name is Eubulus, he was very witty in Philosophy, And wrote much thereof. He was of a noble courage & very liberal: For why he gave away all his patrimony. And when his friends reproved him therefore, & said that he took no care for his goods: what need I (ꝙ he) sith ye take care therefore. At last he went from them, and gave his mind altogether to the study of philosophy, regarding neither the common weal nor yet his own profit: insomuch that one asked him if he regarded not his country? to whom he answered, yes: the chiefest thing that I care for, is my country: pointing with his finger, toward the heaven. He was in Xerxes' time, And began to treat of Philosophy at Athens (as sayeth Ualerius) when he was but twenty year old, and tarried there xxx years. He said that the Sun was made of burning Iron, and that there were mountains and vallayes in the moon. Some said that he told before of a stone that fell from heaven in to the flood Egis. To one that asked him if the mountains Lampsaceni should ever be part of the seca? yes (ꝙ he) if the time fail not. Being asked for what intent he was borne, he said: to behold the heaven, the son, and moon. To a man that was very pensive and heavy, because he should die in a strange country, he said: be of good cheer friend, for the way that goeth down to hell, is every where.  
Sylenus writeth that in prince Dimilus time, there fell a stone from heaven, and that Anaxagoras therethrough held opinion that Heaven was made of stones, and that but for the great compass of the building, it would suddenly fall. Sotion saith that he was accused for this & such like matters, and lost much of his goods therefore, and was banished. But other write that Thucydides accused him of treason, and he being absent, was therefore condemned, at which time also his children died. And when it was told him how he was condemned, and his children dead, as touching his condemnation, he said: nature hath given like sentence both of my condemners and me. And as touching his children, he said: I know that I begot mortal creatures: nevertheless afterward he was saved by Pericles, and departed from Athens unto Lampsacum, and being lxii years old, died there. Being asked of the city, if he would have any thing done for him: he wylled that the same month in which he died, the children of the town should yearly play: And that they should keep that custom for ever: which granted, they buried him honourably, and set up a goodly Epitaphe upon his tomb. His goodly sayings shallbe spoken of in their places.   

¶ Of Phericides. Cap. xvii.  
PHericydes the sun of Badis (as saith Alexander) was a Sirian borne, and was an hearer of Pittachus. Theopompus affirmeth him to be the first that ever wrote of nature, and of the goods among the Grecians. Many marvels are written of him. For as he walked by the sea side at Samos, behowlding a ship sailing swiftly with full sails, he prophesied that within a little while, it should be drowned: And as he said, it came to pass even in his own sight. After that he prophesied (as there was in deed) that the third after, there should be an yearthquake. Not long after when he was at Massena, in the game place, he counseled one Perilaus a stranger, to get him thence, and all his household, with as much speed as might be: whose counsel he not regarding, was taken not long after with the town, & all of his enemies. He would say to the Lacedæmonians, that neither gold nor silver ought to be worshipped and that Hercules in his sleep gave him that commandment, which Hercules also the same time, commanded the Princes to obey Phericides: Some apply this to Pythagoras. Hermippus saith that when there was great war between the Ephesians and Magnesians, he being desirous that the Ephesians might win the victory, asked one that passed by, of whence he was: whom confessing himself to be an Ephesian, he commanded to draw him by the legs, and to lay him in the Magnesian field saying: desire the citizens that when they have got the victory, that they bury me (which am Phericides) in this same place: which when the citizens knew, they were in good hope of victory. And the next day, they overcame the Magnesians in battle, & found Phericydes dead, and buried him honourably. But some say that he flung himself down headlong from an hill called Coriciam, & so to have died, & to be buried at Delos. Othersom say, that he died, being consumed with louse. Aristoxenus sayeth that when Pythagoras which came to visit him, demanded how he did, that he putting his finger out at the door, said: behold thyself, which answer afterward among learned men became a by word. He wrote an epistle to Thales, wherein he prophesied of his own death, saying that he swarmed full of lice, and that he had a fever, and when any of his friends axed how he did, he showed them his lousy finger out thorough the door, and desired them that the next day after they should come to his burial.   

¶ Of Socrates. Cap. xviii.  
Socrates' (as saith Plato) the son of Sophroniscus, a Lapidary, & his mother Phenareta, a midwife, was borne at Athens: a man of a wonderful wit, and as some say, was an hearer of Anaxagoras and of Damon. But Duris saith that he was a servant, and that he graved in stone, and that the Gracie, three goodly images, were of his carving, wherefore Timon calleth him a carver of stones, and a vain Greek Poet, and a subtle orator, For in his orations, he was sharp and prompt, & was therefore forbidden to teach it, by 30. Tyrants, as saith Xenophon. But (as saith Favorinꝰ,) he with his disciple Eschines, opened the fields of the oratory craft. He got money to find himself with all, by his handy work: from which Crito delivered him, because of his wisdom, and became his scholar as Byzantius saith. But after that Socrates perceived that there was no fruit in the speculation of natural philosophy, & that it was not greatly necessary to the outward manners of living, he brought in the kind called Ethicke that is moral philosophy, and taught it daily both in the shops and streets, and exhorted the people chief to learn those things, which should instruct them in manners, which were needful to be used in their houses. He used sometime through vehemency of his communication, to shake his hand, and stir his finger, yea & to pluck himself by the hear also, & was therefore mocked of many, which he suffered patiently. And was so patient, that when one had spurned him he suffered him: & being axed why he struck not again? he asked if an ass had kicked him, if he should kick again. When Euripedes had given him a work of Heraclitus to read, and asked him what he thought by it, he answered: such things as I understand are very mystical, and so I think those be which I understand not: But surely they lack some Apollo to expound them. He took great care in the exercise of his body, and he was of a comely behaviour, he was also a good warrior, for when Xenophon was in the war fallen from his horse, he caught him, & saved him. Another time when the Atheniences fled all away hastily, he himself went leyserly alone, looking back oftentimes privily, and watching to revenge him, if any man with his sword durst venture to invade his fellows: he warred also by sea, and when he had valiantly fought & overcome his enemies, he gave willingly the victory to Alcibiades, whom (Aristippus sayeth) he loved greatly. He was of a constant mind, and of invincible reason, & exceeding careful for the common weal, he was also thrifty and continent. When Alcibyades would have given him much lime and sand to build him an house, he said: if I lacked shoes, and thou wouldest give me an hole hide, to make me a pair, should I not be mocked, if I took it? When he beheld many times the multitude of things that were sold, he would say, Good lord so many things there be that I need not. He would say commonly that gold, silk, and purple, and other such things, were more meet to set forth tragedies, than necessary to be used. He lived so sparely & temperately, that many times when there were plagues in Athens, he only his self alone, was never sick. Aristotle saith that he had two wives, the first Xantippe, of whom he begat Lamprocles: & tother Mirtone Aristides daughter, whom he token without any dowry, of whom he begat Sophroniscus, and Menexenus. Satyrus and Hieronimus Rhodius say, that he had both at ones. For the Atheniences being cousumed with wars, and morayne of people, to augment the city, decreed that every man should have two wives: the one a citizen, & the other what he would, to beget children of both: which Socrates did. He depysed greatly such as were proud & high minded, and wranglers. He gloried greatly in poor fare. And said that such were most like unto god, as lacked fewest things. He had a great gift both in persuading and also in diswading. For he (as sayeth Xenophon) persuaded a young man which was Merciless and cruel, against his mother, to reverence her: he dissuaded also Plato's brother, which was desirous to have come into the common weal, & caused him to leave of, because he was rude & ignorant in things. Being asked what was the honour of young men? he answered: to attempt nothing to much. To him that asked him whether it were better to mary or no? he said: which soever thou do, it shall repent the. He would say that he wondered much at men which with great diligence, endeavoured to carve and make stones like men, & took so little head to themselves, that they both seemed, and were like unto stones. He exhorted young men to behold themselves oft in a looking glass, to the intent that if they were beautiful and well formed, they should do such things as becomed their shape: but and if they were ill-favoured, that they should with learning and good manners hide their deformity, when he on a time had bidden many rich men to dinner, & his wife Xantippe was ashamed of the small preparance that he made, he said: be content wife, for if our gests be sober and honest men, they will not despise this there, & again if they be riotous and intemperate, we shall be sure they shall not surfeit. He said some lived that they might care, but he did eat, that he might live. Being on a time reviled, and asked why he spoke nothing? because (ꝙ he) that which he speaketh, pertaineth not to me. O that men could now adays so take such matters. another time when it was told him that one had spoke evil by him, he said: he hath not learned as yet to say well. When Alcibiades told him he could not suffer the frowardness and skolding of Xantippe, as he did: no (ꝙ he) but a can, I am so used therewith, caused not thou at home suffer thy gaggesling gese? Yes (ꝙ Alcibiades,) for they lay me eggs, marry ꝙ Socrates, & so doth Xantippe bring me forth children. On a time when his wife in the open street plucked his cloak from of his back, & some of his acquaintance counseled him to have struck her therefore, he said: ye sirs ye say well, that while we were brawling and fyghtng together, every one of you might cry: now to it Socrates, Eya well said Xantippe, the wittiest of the twain. He counseled that men should so go to their wives, as horsemen do to their fierce horses, and with a prary similitude, he coloured his patience, saying: like as an horse being broken of an hoarse keeper, suffereth ever after any man to ride upon him, so I by use of Xantippe can suffer all other folk. Finally he daily saying and doing such things, was praised of Apollo to be the wisest man that lived: At which divers being displeased, and because that he proved some which thought themselves very wise men, to be very fools: they not content, conspired against him, and accused him, saying. Socrates breaketh the laws of the city which have been given of our elders, supposing that there are no gods: and bringing in other new spirits: (For Socrates held opinion that there was but one god, which was without beginning & ending, which had made and governed, all things, and that the soul of man was immortal, and that every man had ii spirits assigned him by god, which he called demons, of which he said that one showed him things to come, wherefore he despised their gods and would not worship them) & against tight and law he corrupteth our youth: wherefore let him die. When this was put up against him. Lysias a Philosopher wrote an Apology for him, which when he red, he said: Lysias the oration is good and excellent, but surely it is nothing meet for me (for why it was more judicial than should seem meet for a Philosopher) and when Lisias demanded of him sith it was good, why it was not meet for him, he said: Garments & shoes may be both good and fair, & yet unfit for me. but while he was judged it is said that Plato stood up in his defence, & could not be suffered. And so he was condemned by lxxx judges, and cast into prison: For whom the prince of Athens was very sorry, but the centence which the judges had given upon him, which was that he should drink poison, could not be revoked. The king had a ship fraught with sacrifices which he offered to his idols, which than was abroad and he would never give any sentence upon any man's death, before it came to Athens. Wherefore one of Socrates friends called Inclites, counseled him to give a certain sum of money to the keepers, to let him scape away secretly, and so to go to Rome, but Socrates said he had not so much: Than said Inclytes, I and thy friends have so much, which we will gladly give to save thy life, if thou wilt. To which Socrates answered: I thank you and my friends but sith this city wherein I must suffer my death, is the natural place of my birth, I had rather die here than else where: for if I die here in my country without deserving, only because I reprove their wickedness, and their worshipping of vain idols, and would have them worship the true god, if these men of mine own nation persecute me for saying and maintaining truth, even so will stranngers wheresoever I become: for I will never spare to say the truth, and surely strangers would have less mercy on me than mine own country folks. being thus minded, he continued still in prison, teaching his scholars which resorted to him, many things both of the composition of elements, and also of the soul: but would write nothing, for he said that wisdom ought to be written in men's hearts, and not in beasts skins: nevertheless his disciple Plato wrote wellnigh all that he taught. A little before he should be put to death, he desired that he might bathe himself, and say his orations, which he did, and called his wife and children, and gave them good instruction: And when he went toward the place where he should finish his life, his wife went after him, crying: Alas my husband dieth guiltless: to whom he said, why woman wouldest thou have me die otherwise? and sent her away. So when the cup of poison was delivered him to drink, his friends began to weep, wherefore he blamed them, saying: I sent away the women because they should not do as you do. Than Pollidotus proffered him a precious garment to die in, to whom he said: hath not mine own cote served me to live in? why then may it not as well serve me to die in? And than after he had commended his soul to god, he drank the confection, & as he was in travail of death one of disciples said, O Socrates well of wisdom, yet teach us somewhat while thy speech lasteth: to whom he answered: I can teach you none otherwise now dying, than I taught you in my life time. Thus finished he his most godly life, being lxx. years old. His goodly sayings shall be spoken of in their places.   

¶ Of Xenophon. Cap. nineteen.  
XEnophon the son of Grillus was borne an Athens, he was shamefast, & exceeding beautiful. It is said that Socrates met him in a narrow lave, and would not let him pass till he had answered him to divers questions: and when he axed him, where men were made good and bad, at which he stayed, and could not tell: Socrates said, cum with me, and learn. And so he did, until such time as he went to Cyrus, whose favour he obtained & became in great reputation with him, and wrote all his acts, he had a woman also called Philesia which followed him: of whom he had two children. He had much trouble in his life, and was banished, & fled from place to place, till he came to Corinth: where he had an house. And when the Atheniences, intended to succour the Lacedæmonians, he sent his two sons called Diodorus & Grillus to Athens, to fight for the Lacedæmonians: from which battle Diodorus returned, without doing any great feat: but Gryllus fighting manfully among the horsemen, died about Mantinia. And when Xenophon (which was doing sacrifice with his crown on his head) heard that his son was dead, he put of his crown, and when he afterwards heard, that he died fighting valiantly, he put it on again, not so sorry for his death, as joyous for his valiantyse. He died at the city Corinthum as saith Demetrius being very old: a man both good and valiant, expert in tiding and hunting, and greatly skilled in martial affairs, as appeareth by his works. He was also religious, & much intentive about sacrifice, & was a follower of Socrates. He wrote xl books entitled every one by a sundry name: & Tucidides works which by negligence were lost, he brought to light. And was himself so pleasant in his style, that he was called the muse of Athens. There were more of this name, of whom this is the chief, whose good sayings & precepts hereafter shallbe touched.   

¶ Of Aristippus. Cap. xx.  
ARtistippus, (as sayeth Elchines) came to Athens, to hear Socrates, whose excellent wisdom was spoken of every where. But when Socrates was dead, he flattered Dionysius, and became a courtier. He was a merry witted fellow, & could form himself meet to all times and places, in so much that Diogenes called him the kings hound. when he on a time had espied Dyogenes gathering herbs, and making pottage, he said: if thou Diogenes couldst flatter Dionise, thou shouldest not need to make wortes. To whom Dyogenes said: if thou also couldst be content to eat and gather wortes, thou shouldest not need to flatter Dionise. When one made his boast that he had learned much, he said that learning consisted not in the greatness but in the goodness. To one that made great brags of his swimming, he said: Art not thou ashamed to boast of this which every Dolphin can do? Being reproved because he hired a rethoricien to plead his cause, he said: when I make a banquet I hire a coke to. When his servant which journeyed with him, was tired with the weight of the money which he carried, he said: that which is to heavy cast out, and that which thou canst, carry. Byon saith, that as he sailed, perceiving that he was in a Pirates ship, he took his money and counted it, & than (as against his will,) let it fall out of his hand into the sea, & mourned for it outwardly: but said inwardly to himself, it is better that this be lost of me, that I be lost for this. Dionisius commanded that all his servants should dance in purple robes, which Plato would not, saying: I will not put on a woman's garment, but Aristippus did, and when he began to dance, he said: in drunken feasts, the sober offend not. It chanced that he sewed to Dyonisius for a friend of his, and being denied, fell down before his feet, & when he was reproved therefore, he said: I am not in the fault, but Dionysius, which hath ears in his feet. This & many like answers he gave, which who so listeth to read, may look in the Apothegms of Erasmus, where he shall find enough: which because it appertaineth not greatly to our purpose, we will omit, & entreat of his good precepts & proverbs in the places thereto appointed.   

¶ Of Plato. Cap. xxi.  
PLato the son of Ariston & Periander, of Solons kindred, was borne at Athens, in the year & day that Apollo was borne, as witnesseth Appollodorus. Which was in the lxxxviii olympiad, & died being lxxx and .4. years old. It is said that when he was borne, there came a swarm of bees, & hyved in his mouth, which Socrates said to be a sign of his great eloquence. He was a goodly man of person as sayeth Alexander, and was therefore called Plato, which some say was for his eloquence, and some for his great forehead. He excercised himself in his youth, in wrestling, & such like feats: & gave his mind also to painting, & to write Poesies, metres, and tragedies. He had a small voice and an eloquent tongue. Socrates' dreamed that a swan let fall an egg, which hatched in his lap, and when it was feathered, it slew up on high, & song exceeding sweet songs: and the next day when Plato's father brought him to school to Socrates, O (ꝙ he) this is the swan that I dreamt of: and when he had learned much, & should come before Dynonyse to a school game, wherein learned men should show their goodly meaters, & pyththy writings, wherein who that excelled had a great reward: when he had heard Socrates declare his, Plato flung his own into the fire, saying: O fire, Plato hath need of thy help. And when Socrates was dead, he went into italy, to Phylolaum, which was of Pythagoras' sect. From thence he went into Egypt, to hear the priests & the Prophets, where being sore sick, he was healed by one of the priests, with sea water, by reason whereof, he said: The sea ebbeth & floweth all manner diseases: He said moreover that all the Egyptians were Physicians. He determined also to go to the Magicians, but by means of the wars that were in Asia, he changed his purpose, & returned to Athens: where he abode, and wrote many goodly works: and drew together Heraclitus, Pythagoras, and Socrates, reasons. And in sensible things he preferred Heraclitus: and in things that pertained to intelligence, he took Pythagoras' part: and in civil matters and moral Philosophy, he esteemed most his master Socrates. And drew these three parts of Philosophy in to one body. Satyrus sayeth that he gave an hundred pound to Phylolaun, for iii of Pythagoras' books. He sailed thrice into Sicil to see the country: whereas Dionysius the tyrant Hermocrates son, compelled him to talk with him, & when Plato in his communication, said that a tyrant ought not to do that which was for his own profit, except he excelled in virtue, the Tyrant being angry therewithal, said: Thy words savour of old idle dotterels tales. And thine also (ꝙ Plato) of a young tyrant. For which this tyrant would have slain him, but was entreated otherwise, and commanded him to be sold. And by chance there was one Annicer, a Cyreniake, which gave thirty pound for him, & sent him to Athens amongst his friends: which incontinent sent him his money again, which he in no wise would receive, alleging that other men were as worthy to care for Plato as they. And when the tyrant heard how Plato had sped, & was in his country again, he wrote unto him, praying him not to speak or write evil of him: to which request, Plato wrote again, that he had not so much idle times as to remember him. Some say, that when the captain Cabria which was guilty of death fled, that he (when none else of the city durst) went with him. And when Crobylus a scoffer saw him enter into the castle with him, he railed on him, saying: thou goest to help another, as though thou knewest not that we all ready own the Socrates poison. To whom Plato said, when I warred for my country, he suffered peril which me, wherefore now for friend ships sake, I will do as much for him. To one whom he reproved for playing at dice, which said thou chydest for a small matter, in deed (ꝙ he) the thing is small, but the customable use thereof, is no small thing. To one of his boys which had displeased him, he said: if I were not angry, I would trim the. To one of his servants which had done amiss, and excused him, saying it was my destiny, I could do none otherwise, he said: excuse thyself no more than, for it is thy destiny also to be punished. He died in the schools as some say, being broken in the mids, & was buried in Athens. His notable sentences shallbe added in their places.   

¶ Of Xenocrates. Cap. xxii.  
XEnocrates the son of Agathenor, being borne in Calcedonie, was Plato's scholar, even from his youth. He was blunt witted, and slow, insomuch that Plato speaking of him and Arisstotle, would say that the one had need of the spur, & the other of the bridle. He was grave and earnest, and dry in his communication. He was much in the schools, and if at any time he went in to the town, boys & tolyshe people would cry after him for the nonce, to anger him. He was so chaste, that when men for the nonce had hired an harlot to meddle with him, which lying with him many nights could not obtain her purpose, she said he was an image and no man. When his fellows would cast into his bed Layis, (which at that time was the fairest strumpet in Athens) when she would entice him with her most whorish conditions, he would cut his own members, because she should not overcome him. Being sent which other Ambassadors to Philip, when all the other take rewards, and banqueted with him, he would not: In so much, that when Philip many times would talk with him, he refused: For which cause Philip admitted him not for an Ambassador. And when he with the rest of his fellows was returned to Athens, they said that he went with them in vain. And when (according to the laws) he should therefore pay a forfeit, he counseled the rulers to take good heed to the common weal, saying that Philip with gifts had corrupted all the other Ambassadors, but could not make him grant, by any manner means: which (they hearing) esteemed him more thou ever they did before. Being sent an other time to Antipater, to redeem the prisoners which he had taken in battle, Antipater desired him to dine with him, which he denying said: I come not to dine & banquet, nor to take pleasure with thee, but to redeem my fellows from the sorrows which they suffer which thee: & when Antipater heard the wisdom, and saw the constant mind of the man, gently entertaining him, delivered his prisoners. When Dionysius in his presence said to Plato, some body shall take from the thy head, he said: that shall they not except they take away mine first. He lived holy and wrote exceeding many goodly works: & died being lxxxii years old. His goodly counsels shallbe spoken of in their places.   

¶ Of Archelaus. Cap. xxiii.  
ARchelaus the son of Seuthus (as sayeth Appollodorus) was a good Philosopher and very studious in Plato's works. He was first an hearer of Antilochus, a Mathematycke, and afterward of Theophrastus. He was a very witty fellow, and of a prompt spirit, and grave in communication, & much exercised in writing, & gave his mind to poetry. He delighted so much in Homer, that every night before he slept, he would read somewhat. He learned geometry of Hipponicus, & was thereto so dull, & yet so well learned in the craft, that he would say that geometry fell into his mouth as he gaped. Hearing men singing meaters that he had made, ylfavouredly, he kicked them on the sides, saying: ye break mine, and I will break pours. Being called to a sick man perceiving that he was sick for thought & lack of riches, he conveyed under his pillow a sack full of money, which he finding, was so joyous that he recovered straight ways. When he was bid to solute a riddle at a banquet, he said that the chiefest point of wisdom was, to know to what purpose the time was meatest. To him that asked him why many scholars of every sect became Epicures, but none of the Epicures became of other sects, he said: because that cocks were made of men, but never men of cocks, or as some say capons be made of cocks, but never cocks of capons. Being reproved because he challenged not a young man, whom he had right to, he excused him prettily, saying: It is not possible, to draw soft cheese with an hook. Being asked what man was most in trouble, thought, and care, he said. He that desireth most to be at quiet, and rest: being asked whether it were better to mary a fair woman or a fowl, he answered: if thou marry a foul one, thou shalt have grief with her, but & if thou take a fair one, she shall make the cuckold. He called old age the haven of all tribulations. He said it was a great evil, not be able to suffer evil. To an envious man which was very sorrowful, he said: I know not well, whether evil have chanced to thee, or good to an other: signifying thereby, that envious men are as sorrowful for others prosperity, as for their own adversity. As he sailed among thieves, by chance they met with ships of true folk, which the thieves espying, said: we may chance to die if we be known: and so may I (ꝙ he) if we be not known. These & such like answers he gave, & died at Athens when he was. 80. year old, being overcome with to much wine. And was reputed more among the Atheniences, than any other of the Philosophers. His pithy proverbs shall be spoken of here after.   

¶ Of Aristotle. Cap. xxiiii.  
ARistotle, the son of Nychomache, a stagerite, was well-beloved of Amintha King of Macedon, both for his learning, & also for his wisdom. He was Plato's disciple, and passed far all the rest of his fellows, he had a small voice, small legs, & small ryes, he would go richly apparelled with rings and chains, mynionly rounded and shaven. He had a son called Nichomache by an whore. He was so well learned, that philip King of Macedon sent for him to teach his son Alexander, who because he reproved him to much, caused him to die. But Appollodorus sayeth that he came to Athens again, and kept the schools there; & died when he was lxiii. year old. He was an excellent good Physician, and wrote thereof many goodly works. He used to wash himself in a basin of hot oil: and used to carry a bladder full of hot oil at his stomach. He used also when he slept, to hold a ball of brass in his hand, with a pan under his bed side, that when it fell it might walte him. Being asked what vantage a man might get by lying, he answered: to be unbelieved when he telleth truth. Many times when he enueyed against the Atheniences, he would say that they had found out both fruits and laws, but knew how to use neither of them. He would say that the roots of liberal sciences were bitter, but the fruits very sweet. It was told him that one railed on him, to which he answered: when I am away let him beat me to. Being asked how much the learned differed from the ignorant, he answered: As much the quick differ from the dead. He would say that learning in prosperity, was a garnishing: & in adversity, a refuge. To one that boasted that he was a Citizen of a noble city, he said: boast not of that, but see that thou be worthy, to be of such a noble city. Being asked what was friendship, he said: one soul dwelling in many bodies Being asked what he had got by Philosophy, he said: I can do that unbidden, which some can scarce do, compelled by the law. Being railed on to his face, & not regarding, and the railer asking him whither he had touched him or no? he said: Good lord, I minded the not yet. Being reproved because he gave wages to one that was scarce honest, he said: I give it to the man and not to his manners. Thus and such like he spoke, and wrote many goodly books, of which we have (thought not the one half) yet so much as in our age is thought sufficient for one man to have known and written, out of which his most pith thy proverbs for our purpose shallbe be added in place most convenient.   

¶ Of diogenes. Cap. xxv.  
Diogenes' as sayeth Diocles, was borne in a town called Cinope, his father being called Icecius Mensar, who being imprisoned for counterfeiting their coin, Dyogenes which was of counsel with him, fled: and came to Athens, where he met with Antithenes: whom unwilling to receive him (for why he never would teach any) he overcame with his perseverance. And when his master on a time took up a staff to beat him, he put under his head, saying: strike, for thy staff is not able to drive me away, so long as thou canst teach me aught. He lived simply as one that was out of his country, and comforted himself much with beholding the little mouse, which neither desired chaumbre, nor feared the dark, nor was desirous more of one meat than of an other: whose nature as nigh as he could, he followed. He wore a double cloak, and made him a bag, wherein he wrapped him when he slept, and put therein his meat, and used one place for all purposes: both to eat, to sleep, and to talk in. When he was diseased he went with a staff, which afterward he carried with him always not only in the city, but also in all other places. He wrote to one to make him a cell, which because he tarried long for, he took a barrel or a tun and made that his house. When he had any grave matter, he would call the people to hear him, which when they regarded not, he would sing pleasantly: to which when many resorted, he would say: to hear foolishness ye run a pace, but to hear any weighty matter ye scarce put forth your foot. He wondered at Grammarians which could show of other folks lewdness, and neglected their own. He reproved musicans, because they took great care that their instruments should agree, & their own manners agreed not. He rebuked the Mathematics which beheld the son, the moon, and the stars, and neglected the business that lay before their feet. He taunted the orators because they studied to speak that was just, & followed not the same in their living. He dispraised the people, which while they sacrificed, and gave thanks for their health, would make great banquets, which was against their health: he wondered that servants could stand and see men eat, and snatched not away their meat. Being mocked because he anointed his feet with odours, and not his head, he said: the savour goth from the head up into the air, but from the feet up to the nose. Being asked what time a man should dine, he said: a rich man when he will, and a poor man when he may, when one had given him a blow upon the ear, he said: I wist well I had left somewhat uncovered. To young lads that stood about him saying: we will beware foolish question, he gave none answer, being asked why he held his peace, he said: Silence is the answer of foolish questions. Innumerable such pretty answers & taunts he used, which who so listeth to here shall find in the Apothegms of Erasmus, which is no less finely handled in the English than in the latin, beside that it is also more plain & perfect. This Diogenes lived. 90. years, & died being bit of a dog some write, other say that he styfled himself, with long holding of his breath: After whose death there was great strife among his scholars, who should have his body to bury, nevertheless the strife was appeased by the elders, and they buried him by the gate that leadeth to Isthmus, and made him a fair tomb, and set a pillar with a dog thereupon, and set thereto a goodly epitaphy. His good precepts, and proverbs shall follow in their places.   

¶ Of Antisthenes. Cap. xxvi.  
Antisthenes' the son of Antisthenes, was borne at Athens: And was disciple to Gorgias the orator, of whom he learned to plead: and from him he went to Socrates, of whom he learned wisdom, and moral Philosophy. To a young man that would be his scholar, which asked what he needed to his learning, he answered: a new book, and a new wit. When it was told him that Plato spoke evil of him, he said: It is kingly to be evil spoken of, when a man doth well. He would say that it were better for a man in his necessity, to fall among ravens, than among flattereres: for ravens will eat none but dead folk, but flatterers will eat men being alive. He would say that Cities must needs decay, where good men were not known from the bad. Being praised of evil men, he said: I fear me that I have done some evil. He would say that it was a great oversight, sithence they purged their wheat from darnel, and their wars of cowardly soldiers, that they purged not their common weal from envious people. Being asked of a man what was best to learn, he said: to unlearn the evil that thou hast learned. He always took Plato for proud, disdaynous, and high minded: in somuch that when he met him at a triumph, whereas there were many goodly and courageous neighing horses, he said: o Plato thou wouldest have made a goodly horse. He wrote many goodly books & spoke many proper and pithy sentences, which shallbe spoken of hereafter. He died of a disease when he was very old. If is said that when he was sick, Diogenes came to visit him, having a blade by his side, & when he said, who shall rid me from my disease: Diogenes showing him his sword, said: this same shall, to which Antisthenes said, I spoke of my grief, & not of my life. There were more of this name, but he lieth buried at Athens.   

¶ Of Isocrates. Cap. xxvii.  
ISocrates was a Grecian borne, & came of a good kindred & was in his youth well brought up in all kinds of good manners, and when he came to age & discretion, he was an hearer of Gorgias the orator, whose disciple he continued, until such time as he was well learned, both in natural & also in moral Philosophy. As some say he was in the time of Ahasuerus the king, and was of such fame for his learning, namely for moral Philosophy, that he seemed to many rather a god than a man: He lived virtuously, with such faithfulness in friendship, and continence of his body, and with such piththines in his counsel, as very few hath been like him since. He wrote many goodly books in his youth, which he followed in his age: of which his good counsels to Demonicum, testify his wit & his learning in moral Philosophy, beside other which he wrote of natural Philosophy. He lived long time for (as Ualerius Maximus saith) when he was xciiii years old, he set forth Turrian excellent book, full of the spirit. In all his works he praised virtue as head fountain of all manner riches, & exhorted all men thereunto. To one that axed him if he would be a king? he answered that he would not: And being asked wherefore: he said: If I judge rightfully, I can not eschew the hatred of many men: & again if I judge wrongfully, I can not eschew the pain of eternal damnation: wherefore I had rather live poorly assured of the bliss of heaven, than in doubt thereof, possessing all worldly riches. Being asked how a man might kept himself from anger? he answered: In remembering that god looketh always upon him. In his time men delighted much in black hear, wherefore one of his neighbours died his head black: & when one asked him why his neighbour did so? he featly taunting his neighbours foolishness, answered: because no man should axe counsel, nor learn any wisdom of him.  
What would he say now trow we, if he saw these wives, that not only colour their hear, but also paint their faces? He used oftentimes in his prayers, to desire god to keep & save him from the danger of his friends, rather than from his enemies: and being demanded of one that heard him, why he prayed so, he said: as for mine enemy I can beware of, for why I trust him not: so can I not of my friend, because I trust him. Being asked what a man ought not to do, although it were just and true, he answered: to praise himself. He lived cii years, and died for very age, & was buried honourably. The rest of his sayings, shallbe spoken of hereafter.   

¶ Of plutarch. Cap. xxviii.  
plutarch the Philosopher, was a man of a wonderful wit, well brought up in his youth, well instructed in manners, & well furnished in all kinds of learning: which growing up as well in virtue, & learning as in body & years, was chosen, & that worthily, to be the instructor of the Emperor Trajan, whom he so well instructed, that his glory thereby was greatly augmented, as it is said in Policrato, the fifth book. He was faithful in his sayings, and eloquent in his words, and very diligent & aware in his manners, of a chaste life and good conversation. He gave his mind much to instruct & teach other, and wrote many books, of which one entitled the education of youth, which we have in the English tongue, (drawn thereinto by the excellent & famous knight Sir Thomas Eliote, whose good zeal & love both to further good learning, & to profit his country, appeareth as well thereby, as by other many works, which he hath pained himself, to bring into our language) showeth well his good affection that he had to the common weal. He wrote an other book, called the institution of Trajan, In which he setteth out the office of a Prince, & what he ought to be, so excellently, as no man can amend it. He wrote all so an other book, entitled Archigrammatum, wherein he teacheth rulers & officers how to govern themselves, with divers other things: among which the letter that he wrote to Trajan what time he was created Emperor, is worthy to be remembered, in the end whereof he saith thus. Thou shalt rule all things even as thou wouldest, if thou go not from thyself: and if thou dispose all thy works to virtue, all things shall prosper which thee: And as touching the governance of thy common weal, I have taught the therein already, which if thou shalt follow me thy master plutarch, as an example of good living: but if thou do otherwise, than shall this my letter be my witness, that I gave the neither council neither any example thereunto. When he was aged, he died, & was buried honourably, his goodly proverbs, adages, parables, & semblables shall follow in their places.   

¶ Of Seneca. Cap. xxix.  
SEneca the Philosopher, an excellent well learned man, was borne in Corduba, and thereof called Cordubences. He was disciple to Stratus the stoycke, and was Lucan the poets countryman. He flourished at Rome, in the time of the Emperor & Tyrant Nero, whom he taught in his youth in learning and manners, which afterwards was cause of his death. In the time of this Seneca, Peter and Paul came to Rome and preached there. And when many of Nero the Emperors house gathered together to hear Paul, Seneca among the test, was so familiar with him, & delighted so much to hear the divine science, and wisdom, which he saw in him, that it grieved him to be separate at any time from his communication: insomuch than when he might not talk with him mouth to mouth, he used communication by letters oft sent between them. He read also the writings and doctrines of Paul, before the Emperor Nero, and got him the love and favour of every body: Insomuch that the Senate wondered much at Paul. This Seneca was a man of a very chaste life, & so good, that saint Iherom numbereth him in his bederowe of Saints, provoked thereto by his Epistles, which are entitled Seneca to Paul, & Paul to Seneca. After he lived in to a mean age, he was slain of Nero the tyrant, two years before Peter & Paul suffered their glorious martyrdom. For Nero on a day beholding him, & calling to mind, how he when he was his master, did beat him, he conceived hatred against him, and being desirous to revenge himself, and to put him to death, gave him licence to choose what kind of death he would, wherefore Seneca, saying that his tyranny could not be appeysed, and supposing that to die in a bain, was the easiest kind of death, desired to be let blood in the veins of his arms, and so died: which death as some think was foreshowed in his name Seneca, that is to say se necans, which signifieth in English, a killer of himself. He wrote in his life time many goodly books, out of which shallbe picked some of the most pithy sentences, both of precepts and counsels, and also of proverbs, Adages, Parables and Semblables, which in their places hereafter shall follow. And because the lives of these before written are sufficient for our purpose, and because we be desirous to be as short as we might be, here will we finish the first book: desiring all men that the same shall read, to follow the good virtues that therein are contained.  
The end of the first Book.  
In this first book of Philosophers lives  
Wherein their answers are partly contained,  
A man may learn, as chance thereto him drives  
To shape an answer. Or if he be constrained  
To wrath or anger, or other passions like,  
Here shall he see how like lusts were refrained  
Of heathen men, who thought it shame to strike  
When good occasion oft-times then thereto pained.    

¶ The second book entitled, of precepts and counsels.  

¶ Of the profit of moral Philosophy. Cap. i.  
IT is not unknown to any, which have any knowledge at all, how profitable, necessary, & needful it is for men, to have the knowledge of moral Philosophy (In which whoso is ignorant, is worse than a brute beast) and therefore it mought here have well been omitted. Yet nevertheless to satisfy that desires of some, and to stop the mouths of other some, which peradventure, would be glad (according to the proverb,) to seek a knot in a rish, and again to help and encourage other, whom either ignorance or negligence holdeth back: it seemeth necessary, though not all, yet at the lest to show some of the innumerable commodities, that there unto be joined. Wherein omitting, the discommodities, which for lack thereof daily augment & grow, as malice, hatred, envy, pride, lack of love, deceits, robberies, thefts, murders, bloody battles, seditions, decay of cities, decay of common weals, spoiling of realines, and utter desolation of people and kingdoms, what can be a greater commodity than for every man peaceably, to possess his own: which peaceable agreement sith it can none other ways be got, nor when it is got be preserved, but by love, which only springeth of agreement in manners, and moral virtues, what thing ought men more to embrace? Again if we consider the divinity of our souls, which god hath created to his own likeness, and the rewards thereto due, for the manners which it hath used in this life, what worldly thing shall be able to be compared therewith? Again if we consider how needful it is, as the only help that god hath given us to supply that which nature hath left unperfect, than shall we know what a jewel it is. For where as Nature bringeth forth all other creatures able to help themselves, clothing them and giving them food without taking any pain or labour therefore: only man is borne naked, destitute of power to help himself, ye (as saith Pliny) not one borne to his own use, neither is any man able to live himself alone. For if he had all the wool in the world, yet if it were not carded, spun, dressed, & brought into cloth, it would not defend him from the cold: Again if he had all the grain, that springeth on the earth, yet if it were ungrounde, and unbaked, it would be unmeet meare: which sith they be divers men's offices one man alone can not do. And sith therefore it is so, that no man can live alone, but must of necessity both help and be helped of other, what can be better than good manners, that make every man glad & willing to do one for an other: that joineth us together in love and friendship, and helpeth us in all kind of necessities? Surely nothing. Wherefore who so willeth to be rich, let him learn manners, which teach how to get, & to retain friends, which are the very riches. Whoso desireth honour, let him study virtuous manners, which is the only thing in man worthy to be honoured. Finally what soever any man would attain, let him learn mortal wisdom, without which no thing that is good may be obtained. Which, that it might the more esylyer be learned (according to our promise in the first book) we purpose in this following to set forth the precepts and counsels, of those Philosophers, whose lives we showed in our former book: justantly desiring all men not only to read, but also to follow the same. And although saint Paul have bid you beware that no man deceive you with philosophy, he meant not moral, as many learned clerks writing upon the same, plainly do testify. Which council all men to follow it, namely so much, as agreeth with the commandments of god. Repugnant to the which ye shall find little in this book: and because ye may the better understand what the Philosophers have thought of god, here shallbe set together such sentences as they have spoken of him and of his power, & after of the soul, & so forth, according to our promise in the first book, from the reading whereof, s●th the commodities are innumerable, I will keep you no longer.   

¶ Of God, of his power, and of his works. Cap. two.  Hermes 
THat is God which lacketh beginning and ending, which God being made of none, hath by his own power created all things.  
God knoweth & seeth both the deeds and also the thoughts of all men, from whose knowledge nothing may be hid.  Socrat. 
God esteemeth greatly virtuous people, though in this world they be little set by.  
God the author of goodness, hath created all good things.  Plato. 
God is careful for all, as well small as great.  
The most glorious and mighty beginner is god, which in the beginning created the world.  
God is the principal and chief good, above all Nature, whom all creatures honour and look for.  Aristot. 
It should seem that god careth not for wicked people.  
No man may escape the just judgement of god.  Herme● 
God will reward every man according to his works.  Socrat. 
No man can be just without the fear of god.  
The remembrance of god, keepeth men from evil.  ●ermes. 
If thou wilt know god, enforce thyself not to know wicked people.  
Rejoice and thank god as well in adversity as in prosperity.  Pytha. 
It is a right honourable and blessed thing to serve god, & sanctify his saints.  
The worship of god consisteth not in words, but in deeds.  
Worship god with a clean heart, pray unto him, and he will advance you.  Hermes. 
When ye will fast purge your souls from filth, and abstain from sin: For God is better pleased therewith than with abstaining from meats.  
He that is not contented with the small gifts that god giveth him, is unworthy to have any better.  
Though god exalt the in this world, be not proud, nor despise any man therefore, nor think not thyself better than an other: but remember how that god by creation, hath made all men like.  Plato. 
God hath not in this world a more convenable, & meet place, than in a clean and pure soul.  
It is better to be a poor man believing in god, than to be rich putting doubts in him.  
God loveth them that be disobedient to their bodily lusts.  Herme●. 
Prayer is the chiefest thing that man may present god with all.  Socra●●● 
If thou wouldest obtain any thing of god, frame thy works according to his will.  
Swear not by god for any lucre, although thy cause be lust.  Xenoph●● 
Pray to god at the beginning of thy works, that thou mayst bring them to a good conclusion.  
Be not to careful for worldly riches, for GOD hath provided for each man sufficient.  Pyth●●. 
Enforce thyself to know god, & to fear him.  
Desire nothing of god, save what is profitable, for be will grant nothing unjustly asked.  
God hateth the prayers and sacrifices of wicked people.  Socra●●. 
A good man is the similitude of God.  
It is the duty of a wiseman to be careful in such things as pertain unto god.  
Put your trust in god, and he will advance you.  
For as much as all men, although they be great sinners, receive daily great benefits of god: Therefore are we all bound to thank him for his grace, and to ask him forgiveness for our sins and trespasses.  ●ocrat. 
The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom.  
By the fear of god we attain help of the holy ghost, which shall open to us the gates of salvation, wherinto our souls shall entre with them that have deserved everlasting life.  ●●rmes. 
He that feareth god as he ought, shall never fall into the paththes that lead men unto evil.  ●●thag. 
The time, and richesse are best bestowed, that are employed about the service of god.  
It is wisdom to love god, for he that loveth god, doth that which god loveth: which who so doth, shall be sure to be beloved of god.  ●ristot. 
Science is had by diligence, but discretion and wisdom cometh from god.  
commit all thy causes to god without any exception.  Plato. 
He is wise that disposeth his tongue to speak of god: and he that knoweth him not, is mast fool of all.  ●ocrat. 
Speke ever of god, and he will always put good words in thy mouth.  
He that loveth god best, dreadeth him most.  
Put thy trust in god, and pray unto him and he will keep the from a wicked wife for which there is none other remedy.  
If it chance the to come in a place where men talk of god, abide thou there: for if thou be a fool, thou shalt become wise: and if thou be wise, thy wisdom shall increase.  Pithy. 
Fear the vengeance of god as much as thou mayest, and that shall keep the from sin, and when thou thinkest of his mercy, remember also his righteousness.  Thale●. 
Let thy words and thoughts be evermore of god, for to speak and think of god surmounteth so much all other words and thoughts, as god himself surmounteth all other creatures.  Sene●. 
To remember that god seeth, and beholdeth us always, is a good preservative to keep us from all kind of sin.  

¶ The sum of all.  
God is a substance for ever durable,  
Eterne, omnipotent, merciful, and just.  
Which guideth all things in order convenable,  
A God in whom each man ought for to trust,  
who for prayer gives grace, to mortify our lust.  
In whose fear & love, all that shall here endure,  
Shall after this life, of better life be sure.    

¶ Of the soul, and governance thereof. Cap. iii.  ●●rmes. 
THe most excellent thing that God hath created in earth, is a man: And the richest thing to him, is his soul, and reason: by which he keepeth justice, and escheweth sin.  
The soul is an incorruptible substance, apt to receive either pain or pleasure, both here & else where.  ●●hago. 
When a reasonable soul forsaketh his divine nature, and becometh beast like, it dieth: For although the substance of the soul be incorruptible, yet lacking the use of reason, it is reputed dead: for it loseth the intellective life.  Plato. 
By the justice of god the soul must needs be immortal, and therefore no man ought to neeglect it: For though the body die, yet the soul dieth not.  ●●ocrat. 
The souls of the good shall live into a better life, but the evil souls into a worse.  Plato. 
If death were the dissolving both of body and soul, then happy were the wicked, which rid of their body, should also be rid of their soul and wickedness: But for so much that it is evident that the soul is immortal, there is left no comfort for the wicked to trust in.  
The soul when it dieth, carrieth nothing with it, but her virtue, and learning, and hath of itself none other help: wherefore all such as for the multitude of their sins and mischiefs are hopeless, and such as have committed sacrilege, slawghters, with other such like wickedness, the justice of god and their own deserts damn unto everlasting death, from which they shall never be delivered: but such as have lived more godly than other, being by death delivered from the prison of the body, shall ascend up into a purer life, and dwell in heaven everlastingly.  
The immortality of the soul excludeth all hope from the wicked, and establisheth the good in their goodness.  Socr●●. 
The soul that followeth virtue shall see God.  Aristo●. 
As the beginning of our creation cometh of god so it is meet that after death our soul return to him again.  Boet●. 
The soul despiseth all worldly business, which being occupied about heavenly matters, rejoiceth to be delivered from these earthly bonds.  Aristo●. 
The delights of the soul are, to know her maker, to consider the works of heaven, and to know her own estate, and being.  ●●olon. 
A clean soul delighteth not in unclean things.  
The soul knoweth all things, wherefore he that knoweth his soul, knoweth all things: & he that knoweth not his soul, knoweth nothing.  
little teaching sufficeth the good soul but to the evil much teaching availeth not.  Plato. 
Wine unmeasurably taken, is an enemy to the soul.  
He that fireth his mind wholly upon the world, loseth his soul: but he that thinketh upon his soul, hateth the world.  
The well disposed soul▪ loveth to do well, but the evil desireth to do harm.  ●en●ea. 
The good soul graffeth goodness, whereof salvation is the fruit, but the evil planteth vices, the fruit whereof is damnation.  
The good soul is known, in that it gladly receiveth truth: and the evil by the delight that it hath in lies.  
The souls of the good be sorrowful for the works of the wicked.  ●●hago. 
A good soul hath neither to great toy nor to great sorrow, for it rejoiceth in goodness, and it sorroweth in wickedness: by the means whereof when it beholdeth all things, and seeth the good & bad so mingled together, it can neither rejoice greatly, nor be grieved with overmuch sorrow.  Plato. 
The soul is lost that delighteth in covetousness.  
Who so desireth the life of his soul, aught to mortify it with the body, & give it trouble in this world.  Aristo●. 
The vanities of the world are an hindrance to the soul.  
It is better for the soul's sake to suffer death, than to lose the soul for the love of this life.  Herm●. 
While the soul is in company with good people, it is in joy: but when it is among the evil, it is in sorrow and heaviness.  
He is in great danger that looketh not to his soul.  
Sickness is the prison of the body, and sorrow the prison of the soul.  Socr●. 
A wise man ought to look as carefully to his soul, as to his body.  Sene●. 
It is better to have a soul garnished with virtue, and knowledge, than a body decked with gorgeous apparel.  
Wisdom, virtue, and understanding, are the garnyshynges of the soul.  Pithy. 
Order the self so, that thy soul may always be in good estate, whatsoever becumme of thy body.  
Dispose thy soul to all good and necessary things.  Plato. 
Evil men by their bodily strength resist their misfortunes, but good men by virtue of the soul, suffer them patiently: which patience cometh not by might of arm, by strength of hand, nor by force of body, but by grace of the soul, by which we resist covetise & other worldly pleasures, hoping to be rewarded therefore with eternal bliss.  aristotle. 
Blessed is the soul that is not infected with the filthiness of this world.  Plato. 
Woe be to the sinful soul that hath not power to return to her own place, whose filthy works of bodily pleasure, do hinder her from the blissful state, and keepeth her down from the presence of god.  

¶ The sum of all.  
Of all the good creatures of gods creating,  
Most pure and precious, is the soul of man.  
A perfect substance, at no time abating  
Which with the body, the passions suffer can;  
In virtue joyous, in vice both woe and wan.  
Which after death shall receive the reward  
Of works, which in life time, it most did regard.    

¶ Of the world, the love, & pleasures thereof. Cap. iiii.  Aristo●. 
THe world was created by the divine purveyance of god.  Plato. 
The goodness of god was cause of the worlds creation.  Herme. 
God created this world a place of pleasure, and reward: wherefore such as in it suffer adversity, shall in an other be recompensed with pleasure.  Senec. 
This world is a way full of hid thistles, wherefore every man ought to beware how he walketh for pricking of himself.  Pytha. 
He is not wise, which knowing that he must departed from this world, busieth himself therein to make great buildings  
This world is like a brenning fire, whereof a little is good to warm a man, but if he take to much, it will burn him all together.  Socra●. 
He that loveth the world, hath great travail, but he that hateth it, hath rest.  
He that loveth the world shall not fail of one of these inconveniences or both: that is, either to displease god, or else to be envy of mighty men than himself.  
This world is but a passage into the other, wherefore he that prepareth him things necessary for that passage, is sure from all perils.  ●●rmes. 
This world is the delight of an hour, and sorrow of many days: but tother world is great rest, and long joy.  
He that seeketh the pleasures of this world, followeth a shadow: which when he thinketh he is surest of, vanisheth and is nothing.  Seneca. 
Man hath never perfect rest and joy in this world nor possesseth always his own winning.  Socrat. 
The love of this world stoppeth man's ears from hearing wisdom, & blindeth his eyes from seeing through it, also it causeth a man to be envy, & keepeth him from doing any good.  
This world giveth to them that abide, an example, by them that depart.  
He that trusteth to this world is deceived: and he that is suspicious, is in great sorrow.  Aristot 
He that delighteth in this world must needs fall into one of these two griefs, either to lack that which he coveteth, or to lose that which he hath won with great pain.  ●ythag. 
He that loveth this world, is like unto one that entereth into the sea: for if he escape the perils, men will say he is fortunate: but if he perish, they will say he is wilfully deceived.  Senec●. 
Trust not the world, for it payeth ever that it promiseth.  
He that yieldeth himself to the world ought to dispose himself to iii things which he can not avoid. first to poverty, for he shall never attain to the riches that he desireth: Secondly to suffer great pain and trouble: thirdly to business without expedition.  

¶ The sum of all.  
The world is a region divers & variable,  
Of God created in the beginning  
To contain his creatures of kind innumerable.  
Wherein each one should live by his winning.  
Whose many pleasures are cause of great sinning  
Wherefore all that gladly, as vain do them hate,  
Shall after this world, have permanent estate.    

¶ Of Death, not to be feared. Cap. v.  Herme●. 
Death is the dissolution of the body.  Socra●. 
Death is not to be feared of them that be good.  Plato. 
Death is a thing that can not be eschewed, wherefore it ought the less to be feared.  
None need to fear death, save those which have committed so much iniquity, as after death deserveth damnation.  ●●atha. 
Death ought rather to be desired, than despised: for it changeth us from this world of uncleanness & shame, to the pure world of worship: from this transitory life, to life everlasting: from the world of folly and vanities, to the world of wisdom, reason, and truth: and from this world of travail and pain, to the world of rest and consolation.  aristotle. 
Death is life to him that looketh to have joy after it.  Socrat. 
A worshipful death is better than a miserable life.  Solon. 
He that liveth well, shall die well. Death is the rest of covetous people.  
Death of the evil, is the surety of the good.  Plato. 
He which feareth to have pains after death, aught in his life time, to avoid the peril: which is his own wickedness.  ●socrat. 
Praise no man before death, for death is the discoverer of all his works. Life judgeth undirectly of death.  Seneca. 
Death is the finisher of all tribulation and sorrow.  ●ermes. 
Despise bodily death, and it shall be life to thy soul: follow truth and thou shalt be saved.  
None fear to die, save such as lack wit and reason.  Plato. 
For unrighteousness and other mischievous deeds, the soul after death is sore punished.  Aristo. 
Death is none other thing but the departing of the soul from the body.  
A wise man ought rather to rejoice, than to be sorry, for his death.  Bo●t● 
Death despiseth all riches and glory, and rolleth both rich and poor folk together.  Senec. 
It is not death, but the remembrance thereof that maketh us fearful.  
Death is sweet to them that live in sorrow.  
Wisdom maketh men to despise death and aught therefore of all men to be embraced, as the best remedy against the fear of death.  

¶ The sum of all.  
Death the dissolver of each mortal body,  
driveth all again to their first matter dust.  
Which while we live should put us in memory  
From whence we came, & hence, to what we must.  
Fearful to the evil, but joyful to the just,  
Who after this life, through death transitory,  
For deathles life joined with joy, do trust:  
Whose life by death, is led to greater glory.    

¶ Of Friendship and friends. Cap. vi.  〈◊〉 
Friendship is to be preferred before all worldly things, because there is nothing more agreeable with Nature, nor that helpeth man more, either in prosperity, or in adversity.  
Friendship is nothing else but the agreement of divine and worldly things, with good will and charity: and is the chiefest virtue (wisdom only excepted) that god hath given unto men.  〈◊〉 
True and perfect friendship is, to make one heart and mind, of many hearts and bodies.  Plato. 
Friendship ought to be engendered of equalness, for where equality is not, friendship may not long continue.  
Friendship is a great furtherance to a ma●●es felicity, and without it no wealth may be perfect.  〈◊〉 
He that would endeavour to take away friendship from the fellowship of man's life, should seem to take away the sun from the world.  ●totle. 
The agreement of evil men in mischief is not friendship: for friendship is so pure of itself, that it will not be used in evil.  Soc●●●. 
Likeness of manners engender friendship.  Plat●. 
Good will is the beginner of friendship which by use causeth friendship to follow.  Iso●●. 
distance of place severeth not, neither hindereth friendship, but it may let the operation thereof.  
Friendship is better than riches.  xenop●. 
There is neither friendship nor justice in them, among whom nothing is common.  
There is no man that would choose to live without friends, although he had plenty of all other riches.  Socr●●. 
Every man is by nature friendly to every body.  Aristo● 
It is the property of friends to live & love together.  
They are no trusty friends that become friends for profit or for pleasure.  
The friendship that is between good and honest men, can not be broke nor altered.  Plato. 
Friendship is the lover of love.  
Such as become friends for richesse, profit, or pleasures sake, as soon as these fail, cease to be friendly.  Isocr●. 
A man ought be the same to his friend that he would be to himself: for a friend is himself in an other person.  Plato. 
There can not be friendship between a servant and his master, in as much as their estates be unegal: but for as much as they be both men, there may: because that in manhood they be both equal.  〈◊〉. 
An evil man is neither his own friend nor yet any other man's.  Aristot. 
Friends in adversity are a refuge, and in prosperity a pleasure and delight, to communicate our pleasures withal.  ●ermes. 
Among friends all things be common. If thou desire to be thought a friend, do thou the works, that belong to a friend.  Cicero 
A true friend is more to be esteemed than kinsfolk.  
He is a very friend, that lightly forgetteth his friends offence.  
One special friend, is better than many common friends.  Seneca. 
He is a good friend that doth his friend good, and a mighty friend that defend to his friend from harm.  
There is no greater riches, than the agreement of good men's minds.  ●ythag. 
If thy friend misordre himself towards thee, break not of friendship therefore immediately, but rather assay by all means to reform him: so shalt thou not only retain thine old friend, but shalt also double his friendship.  
If thou desire that thy friends love may always continue, be courteous and gentle towards him, both in speech and also in manners: forbear him in his anger, reprove him gently in his error, & comfort him in his adversity.  Isocra●. 
Be as mindful of thine absent friends, as of them that be present.  
Do good to thy friends that they may be the frendlyer, & to thine enemies, that they may be thy friends.  
Be not rash in taking of a friend, and when thou hast taken him, cast him not of again.  Aristo●. 
admit none thy friend, except thou know first, how he hath behaved himself with his other friends before: For look how he hath served them, & so will he serve the.  Peria●. 
Be slow to fall in friendship, but when thou art in, continue.  
Prove not thy friend with damage, nor use thou him unproved: This mayest thou do, if when thou hast no need, thou fain thyself to be needy, in which if he help thee, thou art never the worse, but if he refuse, than knowest thou by feigning, how for to trust him.  Plato. 
Get friendship of them, that follow truth.  
Prove thy friend with adversity, and with fellowship in danger.  Seneca. 
So use thy friend, as if he afterward should be thine enemy.  
Scornful men are dangerous friends.  ●ermes. 
Whoso loveth good manners persevereth in friendship.  〈◊〉 
The injury of a friend is more grievous than the injury of an enemy.  Soc●●●. 
Better is an open enemy, that a friendly foe.  〈◊〉 
It is a sweet pleasure for a man to help and be helped of his friends.  ●ristot. 
Friendship is the chiefest good thing in a city.  
Kingdoms are preserved and maintained by friends and friendship.  〈◊〉 
Consult and determine all things which thy friend, but with thyself first.  
He doth amiss that seeketh a friend in the marker, and alloweth him at a banker or 〈◊〉 a feast.  
It is more pleasant to make a friend, than to have a friend.  
There be many that lack no friends, and yet lack friendship.  
A wise man although he be content and satisfied with himself, yet will he have friends, because he will not be destitute of so great a virtue.  
What can be more pleasant than a man to have a friend, with whom he may be bold to talk any thing as boldly as with himself.  
Bear witness rather against friendship than against truth.  
Care not what richesse thou lose, for the winning of true friends.  

¶ The sum of all.  
Friendship, which is the agreement of minds  
In truth and love, is the chiefest virtue  
Of moral virtues, that in the world man finds.  
Wherefore in the world to live who so minds,  
Ought friendship to get, and got to ensue,  
By love, (not by lucre, that true friendship blindeth.)  
Rayed with an heart, where rancour never grew.  
Which knot estates equality so binds,  
That to dissolve, in vain may Fortune sue,  
Though malice help, which ii all glory gryndes.  
So strong is friendship, as no stormy winds  
Have might to move, nor fear force to subdue  
Where all these points be settled in their kinds.    

¶ Of counsel and counsellors. Cap. seven.  Aristot. 
Counsel is an holly thing.  Plato. 
There cannot be in man a more divine thing than to ask counsel, how for to order himself.  Socra. 
Counsel is the kaye of certainty.  Isocra. 
Be secret in counsel, and take heed what ye speak before your enemies.  
He that giveth good counsel to an other, beginneth to profit himself.  
Wrath and hastiness are very evil counsellors.  Isocra. 
If thou wouldst know a man's counsel in any matter, and wouldst not him to know thine intent, talk as if thy matter were an other man's, so shalt thou know his judgement therein, & he never the wiser of that thou intendest.  Sen●ca. 
When thou wilt take counsel in any matter, mark well thy counsellors, bow they order their own business: for if they be evil counsellors toward themselves, they will be worse towards other men.  
Take no council of him that hath his heart all set upon the world, for his advise shall be after his pleasance.  ●enoph. 
Good council is the end and beginning of every work.  
He is discrete that keepeth his own counsel, and he is unwise that discovereth it.  〈◊〉 
Make not an angry man, nor a drunkard, of thy counsel, nor any that is in subjection to a woman: for it is not possible that they should keep close thy secrets.  Aristot. 
He that keepeth secret that which he is required, doth well: but he that keepeth secret that which is not required, is to be trusted.  
If thou thyself canst not keep thine own counsel, much less will other to whom thou showest it.  Socrat. 
A wise man ought to take council, for fear of myring his will with his wit.  
Wrath and hastiness, are very evil counsellors.  

¶ The sum of all.  
Counsel is a thing so needful and holly,  
That without it, no work may prosper well.  
Wherefore it behoves him the hateth his folly,  
Nought to begin, without he take council.  
Which whoso useth, shall never him repent  
Of time or travail that he therein hath spent.    

¶ Of richesse and poverty. Cap. viii.  Plato. 
Suffisance is better in richesse, than abundance.  Pythag. 
He is not rich, that enjoyeth not his own goods.  Aristot. 
Virtue is greater richesses, than either silver or gold.  Hermes 
Labour for the riches, that after death profit the soul.  Plato. 
Wisdom is the treasure of the wit, where with every man ought to enrich him.  
A covetous man can not be rich.  
To delight in riches, is a dangerous vice.  
Poverty with surety, is better than richesse with fear.  Socra. 
The profit of silence is less than the profit of speech, and the harm of speech is more than the harm of silence.  ●●hago. 
A fool is known by his speech, and a wise man by silence.  ●iogen. 
There is great virtue in a man's ears. He that blabbeth much, declareth himself to have small knowledge.  
He that will not keep silence, is to be blamed: and he that speaketh not till he be hidden, is to be praised.  
It is better to hear, than to speak.  
Either talk of virtue thyself, or give ear to them that will talk thereof.  Hermes. 
Multiply silence, so shalt thou avoid many perils.  
Silence is the answer of foolish questions.  
Of all good things, the greatest quantity is the best, save of words.  Thalee. 
We ought to bear double as much as we speak, and therefore hath Nature given us two ears, and but one tongue.  Socrat. 
A man hath power over his words till they be spoken, but after they be uttered they have power over him.  
A man ought to consider before, what he will speak, and to utter nothing that may repent him afterwards.  Pythag. 
He that speaketh little, hearkeneth and learneth at the speech of other: but when he speaketh, other learn of him.  Plato. 
Words without good effect, is like a great water that droundeth the people, & doth itself no profit.  
The filth of wordly wisdom is known by much speech.  Seneca. 
He knoweth not how to speak, that knoweth not how to hold his peace.  
It is better to speak well, than to keep silence: and it is better to keep silence, than to speak evil.  Socrat. 
To talk of God is the best communication: and to think upon him is the best silence.  

¶ The sum of all.  
Both speech & silence are excellent virtues.  
Used in time and place convenient.  
Of which the best, and easiest to abuse  
Is speech, for which men often times repent.  
So do they not because they be silent.  
Yet be not dumb, nor give thy long the lease.  
But speak thou well, or hear, & hold thy peace.    

¶ Of Kings, rulers, and governors, how they should rule their subjects. Cap. x.  Aristotle. 
Kings, rulers, & governors, should first rule themselves, & than their subjects.  Plato. 
He is unmeet to rule other, that can not rule his self.  
None ought to rule, except he first have learned to obey.  
Dronkenens, havynes and covetise, are to be abhorred of all men, but specially of prince and rulers.  Hermes. 
If a king be negligent in searching the works of his enemies, and the hearts and wills of his subjects, he shall not long be in surety in his realm.  
The strength of a king, is the friendship and love of his people.  ●ithago. 
The subjects are to their king, as the wind is to a fire: for the stronger that the wind is, the greater is the fire.  
The king that followeth truth, and ruleth according to justice, shall reign quietly: but he that doth the contrary, seeketh an other to reign for him.  Plato. 
When covetise is bound to the king, the realm is in prosperity: but when the king is bound to covetise, the realm is in an evil taking.  Aristo. 
A kings good word is better than a great gift of an other man.  Hermes. 
The most secret counsel of a king, is his conscience: and his virtuous deeds are his chiefest treasures.  Aristotle. 
It is not so great an honour for a king to conquer, as for to govern them well, whom he hath conquered.  
If a king be merciful, his estate shall prosper, and his wisdom shall help him in his need: if he be just, his subjects shall rejoice in him, and his reign shall prosper, and his estate continue.  Socrat. 
A king ought not to trust him greatly that is covetous, which setteth his mind wholly to get great richesse, nor him that is a flatterer, nor any to whom he hath done wrong, nor in him that is at truce with his enemies.  Plutare. 
A king ought to refrain the company of vicious persons, for the evil which they do in his company, is reputed his.  
If becometh a king to take good heed to his counsellors, who follow his jousts and which intend the common weal, that he may know whom for to trust.  Solon. 
It appertaineth to princes, to see that their children be well brought up, informed in wisdom, and instruct in manners, that they may be able after them, to rule and govern their kingdoms.  Hermes. 
Ye kings remember first your king, the governor of all: and as ye would be honoured of your subjects, so honour ye him  
Use no familiarity with any vicious person. Trust none with your secrets, before ye have proved them. Sleep no more than shall suffice the sustentation of your bodies. love righteousness and truth. Embrace wisdom. Feed measurably. Reward your trusty friends. Favour your commonalty, considering that by it, your realms are maintained. love learned men that the ignorant may thereby, be encouraged to learning. Defend the true & just, and punish the evil doers, that other monished thereby, may flieth like vices. Cut of the stealers hands.  
Hang up thieves and robbers, that the high ways may be the surer.  
Burn the sodomites. Stone the adulterers. Beware of liars and flatterers, and punish them. Suffer not the swearers to escape unpunished.  
Visit your prisoners, and deliver the unguilty.  
punish immediately such as have deserved it.  
Follow not your own wills, but be ruled by counsel: so shall you give yourselves rest, and labour unto other.  
Be not to suspicious, for that shall both disquiet yourselves, and also cause men to draw from you.  Aristo. 
It is a great chastisement to the people, to have a righteous prince: and it is a great corruption unto them to have a corrupt and vicious ruler.  Plutare. 
A king ought to be of a good courage, to be courteous, free, & liberal, to refrain his wrath where he ought, and show it where it needeth: to keep him from covetise, to execute true justice: and to follow the virtuous examples to his good predecessors: and if it chance that the strength of his body fail, yet ought he to keep the strength of his courage.  

¶ The sum of all.  
A king which in earth, is even the same  
That god is in heaven (of kings king eterne,)  
Should first fear god, and busily him frame  
Himself to rule, and than his realm govern,  
By law, by love, by justice and by right.  
Cherishing the good, & punishing the stubborn  
The lengthening of his reign, and doubling of his might.    

¶ The precepts of the wise. Cap. xi.  Solon. 
Worship God.  
Reverence thy father and mother.  
Help thy friends.  
Hate no man.  
Maintain truth.  
Sweat not.  
Obey the laws.  
Think that which is just.  
Moderate thine anger. Praise virtue.  
Persecute the evil with extreme hatred.  Thales. 
Honour thy king. Try thy friends.  
Be the self same, that thou pretendest.  
Abstain from vice. love peace.  
Desire honour and glory, for virtue.  
Take heed to thy life, and be circumspect.  
Deserve praise of every body.  
Cast whisperers and tale bearers, out of thy company.  
Take in good worth what so ever chanceth.  ●●obu●. 
Be not high minded. judge justly.  
Be careful for thy household.  
Read over good books. Do good to good people. Refrain from foul language.  
Bring up in learning thy children that thou lovest best.  
Be not suspicious nor jealous.  
vanquish thy parents with sufferance.  
Remember them which have done the good, & forget not their benefits.  
Despise nor thine underlings.  
Desire not other men's goods.  
Run not headlong in to doubtful matters.  
Keep thy friends goods as safe as thou wouldst thine own.  
Do not that to an other, which thou thyself hatest.  
threaten no body, for it is womanlike.  
Be readier to go to thy friend in time of his misery, than in his prosperity.  Chilon. 
Know thyself. Bear no man malice.  
Use temperance. Fly filthy things.  
Get thy goods justly. Lose no time.  
Use wisdom. Please the most.  
Be well mannered. Suspect nothing.  
Hate slander. Be not importunate.  
Let not thy tongue run before thy wit▪  
Prove not that which thou mayest not achieve.  
Love as if thou wouldst hate, and hate as if thou wouldst love shortly after.  Per●ād●. 
Please every body. Hate violence.  
Be always one to thy friend, as well in adversity, as in prosperity.  
Perform whatsoever thou promisest.  
Keep close thy misfortune, lest thine enemy rejoice at it.  
stick to the truth. Abstain from vice.  
Do that which is rightful and just.  
give place to thy betters, and to thine elders.  
Abstain from swearing. Follow virtue.  
Moderate thy lusts and affections.  
Praise honest things. Hate debate.  
Be merciful to the penitent.  
Instruct thy children. Requite benefits.  
Enhaunt wisemen's company.  
Esteem greatly good men. Fly rebuke.  
Hear that which to the belongeth.  
Be envious to no man. Answer aptly.  
Do nothing that may repent the.  
Honour them that have deserved honour.  
Be fair speched. Fear the officers.  
Maintain concord. Flatter not.  
When thou dost amiss, take better counsel.  
Trust not to the time. Hope well.  
Be serviceable to every body.  
Take good heed to thyself.  
Reverence thine elders with obedience.  
Fight, and die for thy country.  
Mourn not for every thing, for that will shorten thy life.  
Get a witty woman to thy wife, and she shall bring the forth wise children.  
Live and hope, as if thou shouldest die immediately.  
Spare as though thou were immortal.  
Hate pride and vain glory.  
Smell not in wealth. Seal up secrets.  
Tarry always for a conuentent tym.  
give liberally for thy profit.  
Do no man wrong. Avoid grief.  
Mock not the dead. Use thy friends.  
give blameless counsel, & comfort thy friends.  Bias. 
Behold thyself often in a looking glass, and if thou appear beautiful, do such things as become thy bewetye: but if thou seem fowl, than perform with good manners, the beauty that thy face lacketh.  
Talk none evil of God, but search diligently to know what he is.  
Hear much, but speak little.  
first understand, and than speak.  
Praise not the unworthy, because of his richesse.  
Get up persuasion, and not by violence.  
Get the soberness in thy youth, and wisdom in thine age.  Pittach. 
Tell not abroad what thou intendest to do, for if thou speed not, thou shalt be mocked.  
pay thy debts. revile not thy friend:  
Rule thy wife. Be not slowthefull.  
If thy fellows hurt them small things suffer it, and be as bold with them.  
Take not thine enemy for thy friend, nor thy friend for thine enemy.  
Be not judge between thy friends.  
strive not with thy father and mother, although thou say the truth.  
Rejoice not at any man's misfortune.  
Let thy mind rule thy tongue.  
Be obedient to the law. Hear gladly.  
Attempt nothing above thy strength.  
Be not hasty to speak, nor slow to hear.  
Wish not the thing, which thou mayest not obtain.  
Above and before all things worship  
God. Reverence thine elders.  
Refrain thy lust. Break up hatred:  ●ermes. 
Be obedient unto thy king, and worship those that be in authority under him.  
Love God and truth, so shalt thou save thy soul.  
Envy not though an evil man prosper, for surely his end shall not be good.  
Be satisfied with little, for it will increase and multiply.  
Trust not to the time, for it deceiveth suddenly them that trust thereto.  
Upbrayde no man with his misery. Marry thy match.  
Take good advisement ere thou begin aught, but when thou hast begun, dispatch it quickly.  ●ythag. 
Before thou go from home, devise with thyself what thou wilt do abroad, and when thou art come home again, remember what thou hast done abroad.  Socra●. 
Neither flatter, nor chide thy wife before strangers.  
Be not proud in prosperity, neither despair in adversity.  
In prosperity be ware, and in adversity hope for better fortune.  
Learn by other men's vices, how filthy thine own are.  
Moderate thy lusts, thy tongue, and thy belly.  
Do not that thyself, which thou dispraysest in an other.  
Covet not to ware rich through deceit.  Aristip. 
Look what thank thou rendrest to thy parents, and look for the like again of thy children.  
Rule not, except thou have first learned to obey.  
yield unto reason. Fly evil company.  
Slander not them that he dead.  
Prepare the such richesse, as when the ship is broken, may swim, & scape with their master.  Plato. 
Learn such things while thou art a child, as may profit the when thou art a man.  
Endeavour thyself to do so well, that other may envy the therefore.  
Spend not to outragyouslye, nor be to ●ygardysh: so shalt thou neither be needy, nor in bondage to thy riches.  〈◊〉. 
Be patient in tribulation, and give no man cause to speak evil of the.  
Look well to the safeguard of thine own body.  Socra. 
Know thyself, so shall no flatterer beguiled the.  
Be virtuous and liberal, so shalt thou either stop the slanderers mouth, or else the ears of them that shall hear him.  aroph. 
Meddle not with that, with which thou hast nought to do.  
Neither suffer thy hands to work, nor thy tongue to speak, nor thine ears to hear, that which is evil.  ●●hago. 
Sleep not before thou have considered how thou hast bestowed the day past: If thou have well done, thank god: if otherwise, repent, and ask him forgiveness.  
Desire God at the beginning of thy works, that thou mayest by his help, bring them to a good conclusion.  ●ristot. 
Walk not in the way of hatred.  
Do not what thou wouldst, but what thou shouldest.  
Praise not a man except he be praise worthy.  
If thou wilt correct any man, do it rather with gentleness, then with violent extremity.  
Use measure in all things.  Socra●● 
When thou talkest with a stranger, be not to full of communication, till thou know whether he be better learned than thou: and if thou be better, speak than the boldlier, else be quiet, & learn of him.  
give thy wife no power over thee, for if thou suffer her to day, to tread upon thy foot, she will to morrow tread upon thy head. Fyxe thy will to do justice, and swear not.  Ar●stip● 
Haunt not to much thy friends houses, for that engendereth no great love: nor be to long from thence, for that engendereth hate, but use a mean in all things.  Socra●● 
Trouble not thyself with wordly carefulness, but resemble the birds of the air, which in the morning seek their food, but only for the day.  
Doubt them whom thou knowest, & trust not them whom thou knowest not. Wander not by night, nor in the dark.  
Labour not to inform him, that is without reason, for so shalt thou make him thine enemy.  Plat● 
Use not woman's company, except necessity compel the.  
Esteem him as much that teacheth the one word of wisdom, as if he gave the gold.  
Swear not for any manner of advantage.  Seneca. 
Affirm nothing before thou know the truth.  
Begin nothing before thou know owe for ●o finish it.  
Be not hasty, angry, nor wrathful, for they be the conditions of a fool.  
Refrain from vice, for virtue is a precious garment.  Socrat 
Beware of the baits of a wanton woman, which are laid out to catch men, for they are a great hindrance to him that desireth wisdom.  aroph. 
Measure thy paths, and go the right way, so shalt thou go safely.  
Refrain from covetise, and thine estate shall prosper.  
Use justice, and thou shalt be both beloved, and also feared.  
If thou wilt dispraise him whom thou hatest, show not that thou art his enemy.  ●●rmes. 
Take heed to the meat that a jealous woman giveth the.  
Let neither thy beauty, thy youth, nor thy health deceive the.  ●●istot. 
Break not the laws that are made for the wealth of thy country.  
Apply thy mind to virtue, and thou shalt be saved.  
Praise nothing that is not commendable: nor dispraise aught that is praise worthy.  Plato. 
Travail not much to win that which will lightly perish.  
Ensue the virtues of thy good ancestors.  Senec● 
Array thyself with justice, and cloth the with chastity, so shalt thou be happy, and thy works prosper.  
Enforce the to get both wisdom and science: by which thou mayest direct both thy soul and body.  Pithy 
Endeavour thyself so to keep the law that god may be pleased with the.  
Covet not thy friends riches, lest thou he despised and hated therefore.  
Reprove not a man in his wrath, for than thou mayest not rule him.  Herm●● 
Rejoice not at an other man's misfortune, but take heed by him, that the like chance not the.  
stablish thy wit both on thy right hand, and on the left, and thou shalt be free.  Socr●● 
give to the good, and he will requite it: but give to the evil disposed, and he will ask more.  Iso●● 
Be not slack to recompense them that have done for the.  
Think first, than speak, and last of all fulfil.  
Accustom not thyself to be suddenly moved, for it will turn to thy displeasure.  Pythag. 
If thou intend to do any good, tarry not till to morrow, for thou knowest not what may chance the this night.  Aristot. 
If thou feel thyself more true to thy king than many other, and hast also less wages of him than they, yet complain not, for thine will continue, and ●o will not theirs.  ●●ogen. 
If any man envy the or say evil by the set not thereby, and thou shalt dysappoynt him of his purpose.  
Forget not to give thanks to them that instruct the in learning, nor challenge to thyself the praise of other men's inveations.  Socrat. 
Love all men, and be subject to all laws but obey god more than men.  Plato. 
If thou wilt be counted valiant, let neither chance nor grief overcome the.  
give good ear to the aged, for he can teach the of thy life to come.  
Fly lecherous lusts, as thou wouldst a furious lord.  
Attempt not two things at ones, for the one will hinder the other.  ●ristot. 
Let no covetous man have any rule over thee, nor yield thyself subject to covetise: for the covetous man will defraud the of thy goods, and covetousness will defrawde the of thyself.  
receive not the gifts that an evil disposed man doth proffer the.  Plato. 
Be sober and chaste among young folk that they may learn of thee, and among old, that thou mayest learn of them.  Senec● 
Order thy wife as thou wouldst thy kinsfolk.  Plato. 
Apply thyself so now in virtue, that in time to come, thou mayest therefore be praised.  
Think that the weakest of thine enemies is stronger than thyself.  
Be not ashamed to do justice, for all that is done without it, is tyranny.  
fortify thy soul with good works, and fly from covetise.  
If thou intend not to do good, yet at the lest refrain from doing evil.  Arist●● 
give not thyself much to pleasure & ease, for if thou use thyself thereto, thou shalt not be able to sustain the adversity that may afterwards chance unto the.  
Endeavour thyself in thy youth to learn although it be painful, for it is less pain for a man to learn in his youth, then in his age to be uncunning.  
When thou art weary of study, sport thyself with reading of good stories.  
Covet not to have thy business hastily done, but rather desire that it may be well done.  
Rejoice without great laughter.  Aristot. 
Desire not to be wise in words, but in works, for wisdom of speech wasteth with the world, but works wrought by wisdom, increase into the world to come.  
If thou doubt in any thing, ask counsel of wisemen: and be not angry, although they reprove the.  
Worship good men, so shalt thou obtain the people's favour.  P●ogen. 
Keep no company with him, that knoweth not himself.  
Be not like the boulter, that casteth out the flower, and keepeth in the bran.  
Commit●e not the governance of people, to a child, to a fool, to a covetous man, nor to any hasty person, that is desirous of revengeance.  Plato. 
If thou desire to be good, endeavour thyself to learn, to know, and to follow truth: for he that is ignorant therein, and will not learn, can not be good.  Aristot. 
Keep a measure in thy communication for if thou be to brief, thou shalt not be well understanded: and if thou be to long, thou shalt not be well borne in mind.  
To him that is to full of his questions, give thou none answer at all.  ●ythag. 
Use examples, that such as thou teachest, may understand the the better.  
Reason not with him that will deny the principal truths.  Aristot. 
Take good heed at the beginning, to what thou grantest: For after one inconvenience, an other followeth.  
If thou desire to have delight without sorrow, apply thy mind to study wisdom.  Seneca 
Marry a young maid, that thou mayst teach her good manners.  
Keep company with them, that may make the better.  
Be bound unto wisdom, that thou mayst obtain the true liberty.  
Love, if thou wilt be loved.  
So live with men, as if god saw the. So talk with god, as if men heard the.  
Fear followeth hope, wherefore if thou wilt not fear, hope not▪  
Desire not to dwell nigh a rich man, for that shall make the covetous.  
Eschew anger, though not for wisdom's sake, yet for thy bodily healths sake.  
If thou desire to be quiet minded, thou must either be a poor man in dead, or else like to a poor man.  
Take not thought to live long, but to live well.  
For so much as thou art not certain in what place death abideth thee, be thou ready prepared in each place to meet him.  
Praise a man for that, which may neither be given him, nor taken away from him: which is not his fair house, nor his goodly garments, nor his great household, but his wit & perfect reason.  Seneca 
Labour not for great numbered of books, but for the goodness of them.  
Use thine ears more than thy tongue.  
Desire nothing that thou wouldst deny, if it were axed the.  
What so ever thou wilt speak, before thou show it to an other, show it secretly to thyself.  
What so ever thou wilt have kept secret, show unto no body.  
Search forth the cause of every deed.  
Let not thy thoughts depart from the truth.  
Promise with consideration, and per form faithfully.  
Praise little, but dispraise less.  
Let not the authority of the speaker persuade thee, nor regard thou his person that speaketh, but mark well what it is that is spoken.  
Perform more fully, than thou hast promised.  
Such things as thou hast, use thou as thine own, and keep them not as if they were an other bodies.  
Be gentle and loving to every body, flatter none, be familiar with few, be indifferent and equal towards every man, be slow to wrath, swift to mercy and pity: be constant and patient in adversity, and in prosperity, wa●e and lowly.  Seneca. 
Worship gentleness and hate cruelty.  
Fly and eschew thine own vices, and be not curious to search out other men's.  
Be not busy to upbraid men with their faults, for so shalt thou be hated of every body.  
sometime among earnest things, use merry conceits, but measurably.  
Live with thine underlings as thou wouldst thy betters should live with thee: and do to all men as thou wouldst be done by.  
Think not thyself to be that, which thou art not, nor desire to seem greater than thou art in deed.  
Think all things may be suffered save filthiness and vice.  
Eat rather for hunger than for pleasure and delight.  
Be apt to learn wisdom, and diligent to teach it.  
Be merry without laughter.  
Thou shalt be loved of god, if thou follow him in this point: In desire to do good to all men, and to hurt no body.  
Believe him not that sayeth he loveth truth, and followeth it not.  Solon. 
See that thy gifts be according to thine ability: for if they be to big. thou shalt be thought a waster: and again if they be to small, thou shalt be thought a niggard.  
Let thy gifts be such as he to whom thou givest them doth delight in.  Seneca. 
give no vain and unmeet gifts as armour to women, books to a ploughman, or nets to a student.  
give to the needy, yet so that thou need not thyself,  
Secure them that perish, yet not so, that thou thyself perish thereby.  
If thou bestow a benefit, keep it secret: but if thou receive any, publish it abroad.  
Speak not to him that will not hear, for else thou shalt but vere him.  
give at the first asking, for it is not freely given, that is often craved.  
Boast not thyself of that, which is an other man's.  
Blame not Nature, for she doth for every man alike.  
If thou wilt praise any man, because he is a gentleman, praise his parents also. If thou praise him for his richesse, that appertaineth to Fortune. If thou praise him for his strength, remember that sickness will make him weak. If thou praise him for his swiftness of body, remember that age will take it away. If for his beauty, it will soon vanish. But if thou wilt praise him for manners and learning, than as much as appertaineth to a man, praise thou him: for that is his own, which neither cometh by heritage, neither altereth with Fortune, nor is changed by age, but is alway one with him.  
Fly the company of a lyat, but if thou must needs keep company with him, beware that in any case thou believe him not.  
give part of thy goods to the needy, so shall god increase them.  Socrat. 
Sow good woor●kes, and thou shalt reap the flowers of joy and gladness.  
Boast not of thy good deeds, least thine evil be also laid to thy charge.  
Company not with him, that knoweth not himself.  
Be not ashamed to bear the truth, of whom so ever it be: for truth is so noble of itself, that it maketh them honourable that pronounce it.  
If thou have not so much power, as to refrain thine ire, yet dissemble it, and keep it secret, and so by little and little, forget it.  Pythag. 
Honour wisdom, and deny it not to them that would learn, and show it unto them that dispraise it.  
Sow not the sea fields.  Isocrat. 
give not so light credence to a man's words, nor laugh thou them to scorn: for the one is the property of fool, and the other the condition of a mad man.  
Think not such things honest to be spoke of, that are filthy 〈…〉.  
Accustom not thyself to be heavy & sad, for if thou do, thou shalt be thought fyrce: yet be thoughtful, for that is a token of a prudent man.  
So do all things, as if every man should know them, yet keep them close a while, and at length, discover them.  
Learn diligently the goodness which is taught thee: For it is as great shame for a man not to learn the good doctrine that is taught him, as to refuse a gift proffered him of his friend.  
Let it not grieve the to take pain to go to learn of a cunning man. For it were great shame for young men, not to travail a little by land to increase their knowledge, sith merchants sail so far by sea, to augment their riches.  
Be gentle in thy behaviour, and familiar in communication: It belongeth to gentleness, to salute gladly them that we meet: and to familiarity, to talk with them gently and friendly.  
Behave thyself gently to every body, so shalt thou make the good thy friends: and keep the bad, from being thine enemies.  
Use thyself to labour, by thine own accord, that if it chance the to be compelled thereto, thou mayest away with it the better.  
Perform thy promise, as justly as thou wouldst pay thy det●es: for a man ought to be more faithful than his oath.  
For two causes if thou be constrained, thou mayest swear: as to discharge thyself from any great offence, or to save thy friends from great danger. But for money, thou shalt not swear any oath: for if thou do, thou shalt of some be thought forsworn: and of othersome, to be desirous of money.  
Think it as great a shame to be overcome with thy friends benefits, as with the injury of thine enemies.  
Allow them for thy friends that be as joyous for thy prosperity, as they seem sorrowful for thy misfortune: For there be many that lament a man's misery, that would have envy to see him prosper.  
Desire to be cleanly, and not gorgeous in thine apparel.  
If thou do good to the evil, it shall happen to thee, as it doth to them that feed other men's dogs, which bark as well at their feeder, as at an other stranger.  ●●thag. 
Do not such things thyself as thou wouldst dispraise in an other.  
Enforce thyself to refrain thy evil lusts, and follow the good, for the good mortifieth and destroyeth the evil.  ●ocra. 
Speak ever of god, and god will always put good words in thy mouth.  
Set thine own works always before thine eyes, but cast other men's behind thy back.  
Fyxe not thy mind upon worldly pleasure, nor trust to the world, for it deceiveth all, that put their trust therein.  
Be content with little, and covet not an other man's goods.  
Be saber in thy living, and replenish thine heart with wisdom.  
Dread God, and keep thyself from vain glory.  
Mock not an other man for his misery, but take heed by him, how to avoid the like misfortune.  
Let no man persuade the by flattery to do any evil, nor to believe otherwise of thyself, than thou art in deed.  ●rmes. 
receive patiently the words of correction, though they seem grievous.  
Fear the vengeance of God, all that thou mayest, and consider the greatness of his puissance and might.  
By ware of spies and tale-bearers.  Socrat. 
Tell nothing to him that will not believe thee, nor demand any thing which thou knowest before will not be granted.  
Fear God above all things, for that is rightful and profitable: and so order thyself, that thy thoughts and words be always of him: for the speaking and thinking of god surmounteth so much all other words and thoughts, as god himself surmounteth all other creatures, and therefore men ought to obey him, though they should be constrained to the contrary.  
Make thy prayers perfect in the sight of god: for prayer is like a ship in the sea, which if it be good, saveth all therein, but if it be nought, suffereth them to perish.  Plutar● 
Pray not to god to give the sufficient, for that he will give to each man unawed: but pray that thou mayest be content and satisfied with that which he giveth the.  
Believe him not which telleth the a lie by an other body: for he will in like manner make a lie of the to an other man.  
If thou desire to be beloved of every body, salute each man gladly, be liberal in giving, and thankful in receiving.  
Forget thine anger lightly, and desire not to be revenged.  
If thou desire to continued long with an other man, pain the to instruct him well in good manners.  

¶ The conclusion.  
THese are part of the precepts and counsels of the heathen men, which taken and used as they should be, are not unmeet for Christian men to follow. Of which I could have made a greater book, but for so much as these few contain the effect of all, & because also that men will be soon weary of tedious matters, be they never so good, it seemed good for fear of bryving men from it, before they saw it, to be as brief as mought be: wishing that these few might be well accepted. To the which I have set no summaries, because I would that they should be read thoroughly. And although they be so easy, plain, and common, that every child can say the same, yet being so little followed of men, which should know them best, I thought it no shame at all to write them, which mind not in this book to teach men to speak, but to do the things which they can speak already.  
Wherein peradventure some will muse why I have attributed so many sentences to Socrates, which they perhaps know to have be written of other men: in which doing I followed the proverb. Doubtful things ought to be interpreted to the best. And therefore such things as I have found written, without certainty of any certain author, I have ascribed unto him, not only because they be things meet for him to speak, but because they be written by some of his scholars, which learned them of him. Among whom the most excellent, setteth forth such things in his masters name, that the authority of the speaker, might cause the matter to be more regarded. I mean Plato, whose example in this point I have followed, yet not so desirous to persuade with the authority of the speaker, as with goodness of the thing, which he hath spoken.  
The which with all the rest, I would wyssh all men to learn, and follow. ⸪  
¶ The end of the second book.     


¶ The use of proverbs and adages. Cap. ●.  
Like as a lover delighted in the goodly beauty of his love, can never be satisfied in beholding her, neither can take any rest until he have by praising, inflamed other to delight in the same, labouring to the uttermost to set forth his beloved: Even so the philosophers ravished in the love of wisdom, have not only laboured to know it to the uttermost, but have also devised by all manner means, to provoke and entice all men to delight in the same: and because they considered men's minds to be variable, & diversly delighting, they devised to set out wisdom in sundry kinds of writing, that every man might find wherein to delight, and so to be caught in his own pleasure. Among which kinds of teaching although precepts and counsels be the most plain and easy, yet lack they the grace of delight, which in their proverbs they have supplied, and that so finely and so wittily, that they both delight and persuade exceedingly, mixed with such piththynes in words & sentence, as may minister occasion to muse & study, a cause to fire them the better in memory: and like a plaster both corrosive & incarnative, taunting vices, and showing the remedies: being therewithal so brief, that without trouble they may be contained. As for an example this little proverb.  
Wrath leadeth shame in a lease.  
What might there be said to cause a man more to refrain his wrath? For every man naturally hateth shame, which sith it is the follower and end of anger, and thereto joined inseperablye, even as the shadow followeth the body, what man considering the end, will use himself thereto. And to make him ashamed, lo here an other.  
He that to his wrath and anger is thrall, Over his wit hath no power at all.  
Now what may make a man more ashamed of himself, than to be thought a very fool? I suppose nothing.  
Wherefore sith this kind is so witty, and so pleasant, I have endeavoured in this book to gather together part of their proverbs, and have sundered them into chapters, that they might the easilier be had and found out for all manner purposes. And such things as I thought most proper, I have drawn into metre, and joined with them divers other, by other men done already, to the intent that such as delight in english metre, and can retain it in memory better than prose, might find herein somewhat according to their desires: which book and metres I submit to the correction of fine witted and well learned men, desiring them herein to pardon mine ignorance, and to bear with my boldness which thought it better though rudely to do somewhat, than to be idle, and to do nothing. For by idleness, no goodness may come: but all wickedness hath grown there of according to the proverb.  
Idleness is the cause of ignorance, and Ignorance the cause of error.  
Where as by this my labour, though simple and rude, I may chance to stir up sum by occasion herein given, to handle the matter as I would I could myself. Ones I am sure, that by my labour can come none evil, whereas good may chance thereby divers ways.  
Yet to Momus, and his scornful meinie, which I am sure will despise this, before they know it, as it is their custom in all manner matters be they never so good, I will object this saying of Horace.  
If ye can do better, my friends set it forth: If not, use mine, & take it well in worth.   

¶ Of wisdom, learning, and understanding. Cap. two.  Aristot. Socrat. 
Understanding is a light which God poureth into man's soul.  
wisdom is the knowledge of divine things, and is the head of all other sciences.  
Wisdom is life, and ignorance is death: wherefore the wise man liveth, for why, he understandeth what he doth: but the ignorant is dead, because he doth he knoweth not what.  
Of all the gifts of god, wisdom is chiefest. Wisdom ordereth the mind, she directeth the life, and ruleth the works thereof, teaching what ought to be done, and what to be left undone, without which no man may be safe.  
Wisdom teacheth to do as well as to speak.  Plato. 
Of all the gifts of God, wisdom is most excellent, she giveth goodness to the good: and forgiveth the wicked their wickedness.  
To men of low degree, wisdom is an honour: & foolishness is a shame to men of high degree.  
Wisdom garnysheth riches, & shadoweth poverty.  
Wisdom is the defence of the soul, and the mirror of reason, & therefore blessed is he that travaileth to get her, for she is the ground and rote of all noble deeds, by her we obtain the chief good, that is eternal felicity.  Seneca. 
Prudence is the guide of all other good virtues.  Hermes. 
Of all the good gifts of God, wisdom is the purest: she giveth goodness to good people, and obtaineth for the wicked pardon for their wickedness: she maketh the poor rich, and the rich, honourable: and such as unfeignedly embrace her, she maketh like to God.  
Wisdom and justice are honourable, both to god and man.  
Intelligence is king both of heaven and earth.  
Wisdom is the messenger of reason▪  Pytha. 
Wisdom at the beginning seemeth a great wonder.  
Wisdom is like a thing fallen into the water, which no man can find, except he search it at the bottom.  
Wisdom thoroughly learned will never be forgotten.  So●●●. 
Science is got by diligence, but discretion and wisdom cometh of God.  
In the company of wisemen is rest, but in the fellowship of fools is nothing but labour.  
A wiseman ought not to sorrow for his losses, but to be careful to keep the rest of his goods.  
A wise man is known by ii points. He will not lightly be angry for the wrong that is done him: neither is proud when he is praised.  
He that seeketh wisdom the right way, findeth her: but many err because they seek her not duly, and blame her without cause.  ●socrat. 
A wise man is known by iii points. In making his enemies his friends. In making the rude learned, and in reforming the evil disposed unto goodness,  
He is wise that acknowledgeth his ignorance, and he is ignorant that knoweth not himself.  Seneca. 
There is none happy, but the wise man.  
wisemen for the truths sake, aught to contrary one an other, that by their contention the truth may the better be known.  Plato. 
It is better to be wise and not to seem so, than to seem wise and not to be so: yet men for the most part desire the contrary.  
A wise man understandeth both the things that are above him, and those also that are beneath him: he knoweth the things that are above him, by the benefits which he receiveth thereby, and things beneath him, by the use and profit that he hath by them.  Herme● 
Wisdom teacheth man to know his creator.  Senec● 
A perfect wise man mortifieth his worldly desires, by means whereof he subdueth both his soul and body.  
He that desireth wisdom, desireth the most high and divine estate.  
He that findeth wisdom, findeth life both in this world, and in the world to come.  
It is not possible for him to be wise, that desireth not to be good.  Aristo● 
A young man can not be perfectly wise for wisdom requireth experience, which for lack of time, young men may not have.  
A wiseman ought to repute his error great, and his goodness small.  seneca 
The wiseman, & not the rich is void of misery.  
He shall be wise that enhaunteth wise men's company.  
It is not uncomely for wisdom's sake for a man to be in subjection, to whom soever it be.  
A wise man is known by silence, and a fool by much babbling.  
Learning maketh young men sober, it comforteth old men, it is richesse to the poor, and it garnisheth the rich.  
It is a shame for a wise man to say, I thought not so much.  Pytha. 
Much babbling is sign of small knowledge.  
Knowledge is better in youth than in age.  
A wise man carrieth all his goods with him.  
The best kind of learning is to unlearn our evils.  
No man may refrain from doing amiss: but a wise man by one peril, will avoid an other.  Plato. 
Wisdom in the heart of a fool, is like a flying thing, that can not long continue in one place.  
A man of perfect wisdom, can not die, and a man of good understanding can not be poor.  
Learning is studies sister.  
Wisdom is a tree which springeth in the heart, and beareth fruit in the tongue.  
Without study of wisdom the mind is sick.  
Early rising and much watching, are profitable to keep a man in health, and to increase his wisdom.  
A man without science, is like a realm without a king.  Aristo● 
Science separate from justice and virtue, is not wisdom but subtlety.  
Nothing becometh a wiseman so much as temperance.  
He that is worshipped for wisdom is angry with them that despise it.  Socra● 
Of all things the least quantity is easiest to be borne, save of knowledge and science, of which the more that a man hath, the better he may bear it.  
A wiseman knoweth what ignorance is, because he himself before time hath been ignorant: but the ignorant was never wise▪ & therefore he knoweth not what wisdom is.  
The true lovers of wisdom shall see god.  Sen●● 
Power and might is in young men, but wisdom and prudence is in the aged.   

¶ Of justice, Laws, cities, and governance. Cap. iii.  Plato. 
EXcept wisemen be made governors, or governors be made wisemen, mankind shall never have quiet test nor virtue be able to defend herself.  
The city is well ordered, where ambitious men desire to have no offices.  
Cities are well governed, when the wicked be punished.  
All that is done by justice, is well done: but all that is done other wise, is evil.  ●●istotle 
A city to obtain prosperity needeth not so much abundance of goods, as virtue.  chermes. 
Law is the finder and trier out of truth.  
Through idleness, negligence, and to much trust in Fortune, not only men but cities and kingdoms are utterly lost and destroyed.  Plato. 
justice is a measure which God hath ordained on the earth, to defend the feeble from the mighty, and the true from the untrue, & to root out the wicked from among the good.  Pytha● 
Wisdom is leech of the law, and money the disease, & when the leech can not cure himself, how should he cure other.  
Law and wisdom are two laudable things: for the one conserveth virtue and the other good conditions.  Senec● 
An evil law, and the love of a shrew are like unto the shadow of a cloud, which vanisheth away, as soon as it is seen.  
Law is the queen of immortality.  Socra● 
laws ought to be made for no man's pleasure.  
Those Ruler's sin exceedingly that give other licence to sin.  
City's must needs perish, when the common laws are of none effect.  
A good common weal bringeth up good men.  Aristot● 
There can not be in a city a more horrible thing than sedition.  
He that is obedient to the law, obeyeth god.  
Where law and order is, all things prosper well.  Plato. 
A law maker ought to be godly learned and wise, and such one as hath been subject to others laws.  Plato. 
God is the causer that laws be made.  
Brybry used in a city, engendereth evil manners, by means whereof, bothen faith and friendship are little set by.  
That city is safe, whose dignities are well bestowed.  
None delighteth in justice, but the just man: none loveth wisdom, but the wise man: nor none but the true friend delighteth in friendship.  Pythag. 
Without justice no realm may prosper.  
He that maketh his realm subject to the law, shall reign, and he that maketh the law subject to his Realm, may hap to reygue a while: But he that casteth the law forth from his Realm, casteth forth himself.  
God is a law to sober men.  
Happy is that city, that hath a wiseman to govern it.  aristotle. 
It is better for a city to be governed by a good man, than by a good law.  
A good city should care more for virtue, than for people.  
Without justice no City may be long inhabited.  
Be that polityckelye intendeth to the common weal, may well be called just, but he that intendeth only to his own profit, is a vicious person.   

¶ Of power, honour, virtue, and strength. Cap. iiii.  Aristotl●. 
Only virtue attaineth the everlasting blessedness.  
He is not to be counted strong that can not away with labour.  
It is a sign of a noble and mighty courage, to set little by great and mighty things.  Seneca. 
Virtue is shut up from no man, but is ready for all that desire her, she receiveth all men gladly, she calleth all men, both servants, kings, and banished men, she requireth neither house nor substance, but is contented with the naked man.  Plato. 
They that be perfectly wise despise worldly honour.  
Where riches are honoured, good men are despised.  
He that honoureth rich men despiseth wisdom.  
He that to his noble lineage addeth virtue and good condicione, is to be praised.  Plato. 
Honour is the fruit of virtue and truth, and for the truth a man shall be worshipped.  
He is worthy to be honoured that willeth good to every man.  
The just man resteth in surety.  
He that vanquisheth his lusts, is a great conqueror.  Diogen. 
Nobility, honour, and riches, are the cloaks of maliciousness.  Socrat. Plato. 
Pleasure perisheth lightly, but honour is immortal.  
Virtue alone performeth the everlasting felicity.  
Immortal honour is better than transitory richesse.  
It is a shame for a man to desire honour because of his noble progenitors, & not to deserve it through his own virtue.  
The glory of the ancestors, is a goodly treasure to their children.  Seneca. 
He is the very valiant, which neither rejoiceth much, nor sorroweth out of measure.  
Honour ought to be given to virtue, and not to richesse.  ●ermes 
It is better to suffer shame for virtuous dealing, than to win honour for vicious living.  ●ythag. 
●o use virtue is perfect blessedness.   

¶ Of liberality, patience, use, and diligence. Cap. v.  Socra. Aristotle. 
He that is liberal, can not live amiss: he that speaketh truth can not be ashamed of that he speaketh: The lowly man can not be hated, & he that diligently attendeth to his business, can never repent him, but bringeth his works to a good conclusion.  Seneca. 
He is liberal, that delighteth more in good renown than in money.  
He that is patient and sober, shall never repent him.  Plato. 
That which keepeth a man from shame is better than riches gotten thereby.  
He that doth not for his friends when he may, shall in his most need of them be forsaken.  
He is perfectly patient which in his fury can subdue his own affections.  Socrat. 
Patience, and good belief in god, maketh a man victorious.  
Diligence dispatcheth all things.  
Diligence and carefulness is the kaye of certainty.  Plato. 
That which a man hath accustomed long time seemeth pleasant, although in deed it be painful.  
There is nothing so good to make an horse fat, as the eye of his master: neither is there ought better to make land fertile, than the steps of the owner: that is to say, the masters diligence.  
It is as difficult to break a custom long used, as to change or alter Nature.  Aristot. 
Custom is as it were an other nature.   

¶ Of knowledge, ignorance, and error. Cap. vi.  Socrat. 
INtelligence is king both of heaven and also of earth.  Plato. 
Great is the hurt that hath chanced by ignorance.  
Ignorance is a mad●es of the soul, which while it laboureth to attain to truth is confounded in the knowledge of itself.  Aristo. 
It is not possible for one man to know all things, yet should each man labour to know as much as he might.  
An opinion without learning can not be good.  
He that erreth afore that he know the truth, ought the sooner to be forgiven.  
Error at the end is known to be evil▪ and truth thereby is known much the better.  
It is great shame for an old man to be ignorant.  
There can not be in a Ruler, a worse thing than ignorance.  Plato. 
The ignorant in their banquets use minstrelsy to cheer them, but the learned with their voices delight one an other.  
He that is ignorant in the truth, and led about with opinions, must needs err.  
To learn better, is a good punishment for ignorance.  Socrat. 
There is none so ignorant, as he that trusteth most to his own wit: none so uncertain, as he that most trusteth fortune, nor any so much out of quiet, as he that is cumbered with an unruly brawling shrew.  
Through lack of wit, springeth much harm: and by means of ignorance, much good is left undone.  
A false opinion doth great harm. The boldness of the ignorant, engendereth all evils.  Socrat. 
It is a shame to be ignorant in that which every man ought to know.  Pythag. 
It is better to be ignorant in vile things, than to know them.  Plato. 
Idleness engendereth ignorance, and ignorance engendereth error.   

¶ Of money and covetousness. Cap. seven.  Seneca. 
AN avaricious old man is like a monster.  
He that overcometh his covetousness is valianter than he, that overcometh an enemy: and he is the mightiest conqueror that vanquyssheth his own will.  Pithago. 
Covetise can not be satisfied with abundance: for the more that a man hath, the more still he desireth.  
Ambitious men have ungracious wits.  Plato. 
He that hoardeth up his money, taketh pains for other folk.  
Dishonour is the end of covetousness, but the end of liberality, is worship.  
He that is a niggard to himself, must needs be nygardysh unto other.  Diogen. 
Servants serve their bodily masters, but evil man serve their covetous lusts.  
It is better to have a man without money, than money without a man.  Hermes. 
A covetous man can not learn truth  Plato. 
It is no marvel though he be good which is not covetous, but it were a wonder to see a covetous man good.  
A man may sooner yield to avarice, than to reason: for covetise hath accompanied him even from his childhood, but reason cometh not before he have perfect age.  Aristo. 
It is better for a man to love his fellows, than to love money.  
Money is the cause of sedition and evil will.  
To delight in money, is a dangerous pleasance.  
covetousness taketh away the name of gentleness, the which liberality purchaseth.  
A merry man can not lightly be angry, A liberal man may not well be envious. And as for the covetous man, may never be satisfied with riches.   

¶ Of the tongue, of fair speech, and of flattery. Cap. viii.  Bias. 
Fair and flattering speech is an honeyed snare.  Hermes 
A right commendable thing both in heaven and earth, is a true tongue.  Socra. 
There is not a worse thing, than a deceitful and lying tongue.  
Fair speech in presence, with good report in absence, and manners in fellowship obtain great friendship.  Chilon. 
An evil tongue is sharper than any sword.  Diogen. 
If thou speak what thou wilt, thou shalt hear that thou wouldst not.  ●ithago. 
The ●ong is the bewrayer of the heart.  
Death delivereth a man from all enemies save the tongue.  
He is wise & discrete that can refrain high tongue.  Plato. 
Flattery is a present friend, but an absent enemy.  Seneca. 
It is a point of flattery to praise a man to his face.  Socra. 
The tongue of a fool is the kaye of his counsel, which in a wiseman wisdom hath in keeping.  
The tongue of a wise man is in his heart, but the heart of a fool is in his tongue.  Plato. 
Hastiness of speech, causeth men to err.   

¶ Of truth, of Faith, of error and lying. Cap. ix.  Hermes 
Truth is the guide of all goodness.  Aristot. 
Faith shineth in danger.  
Honour is the fruit of virtue & truth, and for the truth a man shall be worshipped.  Socrat. 
He that useth truth, hath more and mightier servants than a king.  Seneca. 
There is no difference between a great teller of tidings, and a liar.  Plato. 
There is no goodness in a liar.  
It is lawful for a governor for the maintenance of his estate, and safeguard of his subjects, to lie: but not for a subject to lie in any cause.  Socra. 
A faithful man is better than gold.  
Lying is a sickness of the soul, which can not be cured, but by shame or reason.  
He ought not to lie that taketh upon him to teach other.  Plato. 
Truth is the messenger of god, which every man ought to worship for the love of her master.  
Of small errors not let at the beginning, spring great and mighty mischyfes'   

¶ Of bringing up and manners, of dispositions and instruction. Cap. x.  Plato 
A Gentle heart by the own accord, is given to goodness.  Plutarth. 
Noble wits corrupt u● the bringing up prove more unhappy than other, that be more simple.  
The wyctes which in age will be eccellen●▪ may be known in youth by their honest delights.  Socra. 
He is to be commended which to his good bringing up, joineth virtue, wysed me, and learning.  
Instruction in a fool, increaseth more folly.  Plato. 
Good dispositions can neither be given, bought nor sold, yea if they might no man would buy them: but the evil are daily bought and sold.  Aristot. 
Manners are more requisite in a child than playing upon instruments, or any other kind of vain pleasantness.  
Those parents are to be blamed, that are very careful to heap up riches, and take no care for the good bringing up of their children.  Hermes. 
It becometh a man from his youth to be shamefast in filthy things, and to be studious in that which is honest.  
Soberness in youth, seemeth to fools to be mere foolishness.  Socrat. 
Good bringing up maketh a man well disposed.  
He is perfect which to his good bringing up, joineth other virtues.  
Good bringing up is the head of good manners.  Seneca. 
It is not possible for him to be sober, that is wealthyly brought up in ryorting and pleasures.   

¶ Of Love, lust, and lechery. Cap. xi.  Pytha. 
Constant Love is a principal virtue.  Plato. 
Without Love, no virtue can be perfect.  
There are two kinds of love: the one Natural, and the other heavenly.  
The good lover loveth his soul better than his body.  
The evil lover loveth his body, and not his soul.  Socra. 
This love of a fool, is more noisome than pleasant.  
Love can not be mingled with fear. Love is the business of loiterers.  Seneca. 
He that lacketh love, ought not to be regarded.  
Repentance is the end of filthy love.  
There is nothing so dark, but that love espieth.  
Love leaveth no danger unattempted.  Plato. 
To much self love is cause of all evil. Lust is a lordly and disobedient thing,  
Of all things the newest is the ●est, save of love and friendship: which the elder that it waxeth, is ever the better.  Aristotl●. 
Dishonour, shame, evil end and damnation, wait upon lechery, and all other like vices.  Seneca. 
Likeness of manners, maketh love steadfast and perfect.  
It is not possible to do any thing well without love.  
It is not possible for that servant to be diligent, that loveth not his master.   

¶ Of Sorrow, gladness, fear and boldness, Cap. xii.  Socrat. 
IT is a point of madness, to be sorry, or to rejoice unmeasurably.  Aristip. 
He ought to fear many, whom many do fear.  Pythag. 
Great grief continueth not long.  
continual fear suffereth not a man to be happy.  Aristotle. 
Sorrow is a gryfe for things that be done and passed.  
Fear is a doubt for things for to come. Fear of himself accuseth the guilty.  
By sorrow and thought the heart is tormented.  
Of sorrow cometh dreams and fantasies.  
Of thought cometh watching, and bleared eyes.  Hermes. 
sickness is the prison of the body, but sorrow the prison of the soul.  
Mirth is the end of sorrow.  Seneca. 
Shamefastness in a child, is a token of wit, but in a man of foolishness.  
surety putteth away sorrow, and fear hindereth gladness.  
Neither strength nor bigness, are of any value in a fearful body.   

¶ Of anger, wrath, envy, malice, and revengeance. Cap. xiii.  Plato. 
privy hatred is worse than open malice.  
Wrath leadeth shame in a lease.  Chales. 
It is a great marvel to see a wiseman angry.  
He is unhappy that continueth in his malice, not thinking of the end.  Plato. 
Unhappy is the estate of malicious & envious people.  
The suspicious, the hasty, and the jealous man, live ever in sorrow.  Aristotl●. 
Shame of himself, is the end of in dignation.  
He is not perfectly good that hateth his enemy: what is he then that hateth his friend.  Seneca. 
Debate, deceit, contention and envy, are the fruits of evil thoughts.  
It is foolishness or rather madness for a man to be angry for that, which can not be amended: or to desire the thing which he may not obtain.  Aristip. 
Wrath and hastiness, are ver●e evil counsellors.  
quietness is sure, but rashness is dangerous.  
Envy and slander are ii brethren which go evermore together.  Seneca. 
forgiveness is a valiant kind of revengeance.  
He hath great rest, that can refrain himself from anger.  Pythag. 
Envy hath been, is, and shall be, the destruction of many.  
What is there that envy hath not defamed, or malice left undefiled? Truly no good thing.  aristotle. 
Anger is an heaviness and vexation of the mind desiring to be revenged.  
Anger is the woorcker of enmity, and hatred.  
Humility, patience, and fair speech are the pacifyers of anger.  Plato. 
Time appeyseth anger.  
Wrath cometh of feebleness of courage, and lack of wit.  
Women are sooner angry than men, the sick sooner than the healthy, & old folk be sooner moved than the young.  ●hilon. 
He is envious that is sorry for goodmennes' prosperity.  
An envious man serveth to none other purpose, but to speak evil, and slander other.  ●ermes. 
To the wrathful anger approacheth.   

¶ Of liberty and bondage. Cap. xiiii.  Plato. 
HE is not free that bindeth himself to an other.  
He obeyeth many, that obeyeth his body.  whales. 
Hope is a bondage, but mistrust a liberty.  
The child is not bound to his parents of whom he learned nothing.  Aristot●●. 
He that hath bound himself to follow his fleshly delights, is more bound than any caitiff.  Senec●. 
A bond man hath but half a mind. To much liberty turneth into bondage.  
A tyrant never tasteth of true friendship, nor of perfect liberty.   

¶ Of women, wine, and drunkenness. Cap. xv.  Plato. 
Drunkenness maketh a man unruly,  
Drunkenness undoth him, that delighteth therein.  
Much wine and wisdom may not agree, for they be ii contraries.  Isocra●. 
Wine unmeasurably taken, is an enemy to the soul.  
Wrath and wine, drowned both the reason and senses.  
Wrath maketh man a beast, but drunkenness maketh him worse.  
Drunkenness ought to be eschewed of all men, but chiefly of Rulers, watchmen, and officers.  
Drunkenness is an abominable vice in a teacher.  Plato. 
A drunkard is unprofitable for any kind of good service  
The husband can do to his wife no greater wrong, than to have to do with an other woman.  
A woman is a necessary evyill.  ●risto. 
There can be no greater honour for an honest wife, than to have an honest faithful husband, which careth for her, and for no woman else thinking her more chaste and faithful, than any other.  Seneca. 
Neither gorgeous apparel, nor excellent beauty, nor plenty of gold and riches become a woman so well as soberness, silence, faithfulness and chastity.  
The best way for a man to keep his wife chaste, is not to be jealous, as many fond fools suppose, but to be chaste himself, and faithful unto her.  
Woman's company is an evil that can not be eschewed.  ●hilon. 
A fair whore is a sweet poison.  
Women in mischief are wysar than men.  ●ocrat. 
Woman is more pitiful than man, more envious than a serpent, more malicious than a Tyrant, and more deceitful than the devil.  ●●istotle. 
Woman's counsel is weak, and a child's unparfect.  
Woe be to that city where a womao heareth rule.  Socra●. 
It is better to be in company with a serpent, than with a wicked woman.  
Gay appareled women stand forth as baits to catch men that pass by: but they take none save such as will be po●e, or else such as be ignorant fools, which know them not.  
There is no greater accumbraunce that may chance to a man, than ignorance and woman.  
There is nothing hotter than a lascivious women.  
He is an ignorant fool, that is governed by women's counsel.  
An ignorant man may be known by three points: he can not rule himself, because he lacketh reason: he can not resist his lusts, because he lacketh wit: neither can he do what he would, because he is in bondage to a woman.  
Women by Nature, are borne malicious.  
It is not possible for him to obtain wisdom and knowledge, that is in bondage to a woman.  
He that enhaunteth much woman's company, can not be strong: neither may he be rich that delighteth much in wine.   

¶ divers sentences of sundry matters. Cap. xvi.  Plato. 
Eloquence is a goodly gift, which in truth shineth, but in falsehood corrupteth.  ●ermes. 
It is hard to find a meek witty man.  
Man is the measure of all things.  ●ocrat. 
Holiness and righteousness make men like unto God.  seneca. 
Small expenses oft used, consume great substance.  
Excess either hurteth, or profiteth nothing.  
Every man loveth advantage.  
Rest must needs be pleasant, for it is the medicine of all diseases that are in labour.  
Nothing obtaineth Favour so much as diligent obedience.  
Evil men for lucre, agree together.  ●ermes 
He is to be despised of all, that careth for none but himself.  ●ythag. 
Many things at the beginning are counted good, which at the end are known to be evil.  
Desire of riches waxeth infinite.  
A solitary man is a god or a beast.  Dioge● 
It is better for a man to judge after law and learning, than after his own mind and knowledge.  
Diligent purveyance is great surety. It is wisdom to work by science.  Plato. 
The multiplying of friends, is the aswaging of cares.  
It is better to diminish that which hurteth, than to augment that which helpeth.  Pitta● 
None but a crafts man, can judge of a craft.  
Excellent things ought to be done warily.  
It is kynglyke to be reproved for well doing.  
The agreement of brethren is stronger than a wall.  
To unlearn evil, is the best kind of learning.  Plato. 
A needy old man is a miserable thing  Aristo. 
Melody is good to pacify the angry, to comfort the sorrowful, and to assuage all other passions.  
Music is good to refresh the mind, and to pass forth the time, and is a great help to good pronunciation: and therefore children ought to learn music.   

¶ The xvii Chapter.  Socrat. 
OF all misfortunes the most uphappy, is to have been fortunate.  ●ythag. 
Nothing is to be counted good that may be taken away.  seneca. 
It is as well a fault to trust no body, as to trust every body.  
It skilleth not in what bed a sick man be laid, whether it be of gold, or of wood: for wheresoever he be laid, his sickness will be with him.  
If it were as painful a thing for men to praise honest things, as it is to do them, than should they be as little praised, as be followed.  
They live evylly that begin always to live, for as much as their many beginnings do make their lives still unperfect.  
He that is rooted in his sin, will not be corrected.  
A gift bindeth the receiver, and leuseth the giver.  
When a man doubteth in doubtful things, & is assured in them that be evident, it is a sign of good understanding.  Herme● 
There are vi kinds of men that be never without vexation. The first is he that can not forget his trouble. An envious man dwelling with folk newly enriched He that dwelleth in the place and can not thrive, where as an other thrived before him. A rich man decayed, and fallen in to poverty. He that would obtain that which he may not get The last is he that dwelleth with a wise man and can learn nothing of him.  
He that seeketh enemies, seeketh his own destruction.  Pithag. 
Repentance deserveth pardon.  
The best and greatest winning is a true friend, and the greatest loss is the loss of time.  Plato. 
Much running maketh great weariness.  
If men in reasoning desired as much the truth of the thing itself, as they do the maintenance of their own opinions, and glory of their wits, there should not breed so much hatred as there doth, nor half so many matters be left of unconcluded.  
There can not be a more intolerable thing, than a fortunate fool.   

¶ The xviii Chapter.  Socrat. 
A Man of feeble courage, annoyeth himself lightly with that which he loveth.  Pythag. 
To be overcome with affections, is an evident token of foolishness.  Seneca. 
He is not happy that hath richesse, but he that useth them.  ●ermes. 
The wicked sometime seem to be happy.  
It is better to suffer death, than by compulsion to do that is evil.  
He that is inclined to his own will, is nigh the wrath of god.  
He that desireth great charges, desireth great troubles.  ●●thago. 
The hearts of good people, are the castles of their secrets.  
It is a great folly for a man to muse much on such things as do pass his understanding.  Plato. 
To do well to him that hurteth us, is the most acceptable thing in the sight of God, that a man may do.  
Folly is the greatest enemy, that a man may have.  Socra. 
He that doth good, is better than the good which he doth: and he that doth evil, is worse than the evil that he doth.  
A man without science, is like a realm without a king.  Plato. 
An aswager of wrong ought greatly to be honoured.  
A good rich man, seldom may be found.  Aristot. 
No man is happy, whiles that he liveth.  
He is an excellent warrior that lacketh neither wisdom nor good success.  
There is but one way to goodness, but the ways to evil are innumerable.  
The best place in war is the mids, for there be the strong and valiant, which are in the mids between the hardy, and the cowards.  
There is no kind so evil, but that some good is found in.  Seneca. 
That which a man believeth not, shall never fray him.  
He findeth fetters, that findeth benefits.  
It is due to render deserved thanks.  
They be worse that are lately made rich, than they which have been rich a great while.  
tyrants prayers are necessary.   

¶ The xix Chapter.  Socra. 
TO lack friends is a token of evil conditions.  
It is a foolish madness to think that rich men be happy.  
He is sufficiently well learned that knoweth how to do well, & he hath power enough, that can refrain from doing evil.  Pythag. 
He that demandeth but reason, is able to vanquish his enemy.  
Covetous men lack, the things that they have.  
The shorter a thing is, the more it delighteth.  
They that rob, and slander the dead, are like furious dogs, which bite and bark at stones.  plutarch. 
It is the part of a good man, to forget dishonest things, which to remember, is a point of evil.  
That which is well done, is done wittingly: but that which is evilly done, is done ignorantly.  
He is as much a thief that stealeth openly, as he that robbeth privily.  Socra● 
A thing oft spoken, troubleth the hearer.  
To see is but a small matter, but to foresee a thing, is hard to be done.  
A man of good feeling, is evermore discrete, so is it not of the other senses.  Aristot● 
Hearing in a man is a great help to knowledge.  
Custom is as it were an other nature.  
It is foolishness to intend much unto dreams.  
Fond and foolish dreams, deceive them that trust therein.  
They be gross and foolish physicians which take any counsel at their pacientes dreams.  
When God will send dreams or visions, they chance to wisemen in the day time.  
Such as be borne deaf and blind, have their inward powers the more perfect.  
He ought not to lie, which will teach other folk.  
Diversity of opinions is the cause of much strife.  
That thing is noble which cometh of good kind.  
He that doubteth and marveleth, seemeth to be ignorant.   

¶ The twenty Chapter.  Socra. 
HE which knoweth not how much he seeketh doth not know when to find that which he lacketh.  
It is better to be ignorant in vile things than to know them.  
The goods of the soul are the principal goods.  Pythag. 
A boaster is more to be despised than a liar.  
It is hard for a liberal man to be rich.  
It is better to suffer, than to do wrong.  
He is worst of all, that is malicious against his friends.  
Evil destroyeth itself.  
The wrath and lust of lecherous people, altar their bodies, and make many run stark mad.  ●utarch. 
It is better for a man to amend himself by following the good example of his predecessors, than to make his successors wax worse, by following his unthrifty vicious living.  
To be much inquisitive of others offences is a sign of an evil disposition.  
Nothing dispraiseth a man so much as his own praising: specially when he boasteth of his good deeds.  
The most profitable thing for the world is the death of evil people.  Aristo● 
Men ought not be chosen by age & numbered of years, but by wisdom & conditions: For he that hath childish conditions is a child, be he never so old: and he that hath manlike conditions is a man, be he never so young.  Herme● 
Three things are to be pitied, and the fourth not to be suffered. A good man in the hands of a shrew. A wise man under the governance of a fool. A liberal man in subjection to a caitiff. And a fool set in authority.  Plato 
To men occupied about divine things life seemeth a thing of no reputation.  
Both sleep and labour are enemies to learning.  
There is no greater victory, than for a man to vanquish himself.  
There are many that will not fight, & yet be desirous for to see frays.  
He that neglecteth wife and children depriveth himself of immortality.  
Prudence is the guide of all other virtues.   

¶ The xxi Chapter.  Plato. 
IT is hard for a man having licence to sin to keep himself therefro.  ●erms 
Sweet hope followeth him that liveth holily and justly, nourishing his heart, and cherishing his old age, and comforting him in all his miseries.  
In all works the beginning is the chiefest, and the end hardest to attain:  Seneca: 
He is not worthy to live, that taketh no care to live well.  ●ristip. 
He which is bewtyful, and speaketh unseemly things, draweth a sword of lead, out of an ivory skabarde.  ●ocrat. 
Such things as are above us, pertain not unto us.  
Nobility, glory, and richesse, are the cloaks of maliciousness.  
He that is mighty, is not by and by good, but he which is good, immediately is mighty.  ●hilon. 
Men should rather be drawn by the cares, than by the cloaks: that is by persuasion and not by violence.  
It is lawful to be a friend, but no farther than to the altar: that is, we ought not for our friends sake to transgress our religion.  
A city can not prosper, when an ox is sold for less than a fish.  Seneca. 
He is worthy no wealth, that can suffer no woe.  
Much babbling is a sign of small knowledge.  
wordly vanities, hinder man's reason.  Hermes. 
He is a wiseman that doth good to his friends: but he is more than a man, that doth good to his enemies.  
Of evils, the least is to be chosen.  Plato. 
Good respect and consideration to the end of things, preserveth both soul and body.  Seneca 
Every man is wise in that which he hath learned.  
He that helpeth the evil, hurteth the good.  
Men should live exceeding quietly, if these two words my & thine were taken away.  
Hope of reward, maketh pain seem pleasant.  
To be praised of evil men, is as evil as to be praised for evil doing.   

¶ The xxii Chapter. Of benefits, and of unthankfulness.  Seneca. 
BEnefits ought to be as well borne in mind as received with the hand.  
The remembrance of benefits ought never to wear old.  
The will of the giver, and not the value of the gift, is to be regarded.  
He is worthy to be deceived which while he bestowed a benefit, thought of the receiving of an other.  
A small thing given willingly, is more acceptable than that which is grudgingly given, be it of never so great price  
One gift well given, recovereth many losses.  
A gift grudgingly given of a niggard, is called a stony loaf: which although it be bitter, is needful to be received of the hungry.  
He is unthankful which acknowledgeth not the good that is done him. He is more unthankful that to his power acquitteth it not. But he is most unthankful that forgetteth it utterly.  Socra 
To be unthankful is an uncomely thing.  
There is no greater treasure, than discretion and wit.  
No greater poverty than ignorance.  
No better friendship than good conditions.  
No better guide than good Fortune.  
Dastines causeth repentance.  
frowardness causeth hindrance.  
Pride is cause of hatred, and sloth of dispraise.  
It is better to hear than to speak much. and therefore Nature hath given us two ears, and but one tongue.  
Experience is a good chastisement.  
It is better to seek and not to find, than to find and not to profit.  
All things may be changed save Nature, and all things eschewed, except death.  
Wit without learning, is like a tree without fruit.  
It is better to suffer great necessity, than to borrow of him, whom a man may not trust.  
The end of sickness is death, and the end of darkness, is light.  
Change of the world is a good teacher.  
Experience is a good corrector.  Socrat. 
The hasty man is never without trouble.  
There are three sorts of men woeful to be seen. A rich man fallen in to poverty. A virtuous man dispraised. And a wiseman scorned of the ignorant.  Seneca. 
He hath riches sufficient, that needeth neither to flatter nor to borrow.  
He doth himself wrong, which obeyeth them whom he ought not.  Plato. 
suffisance is the castle which keepeth wisemen from all evil works.  
Finis.   

¶ Pyththie metres of divers matters.  ¶ Socrates. 
HE that to wrath and anger is thrall,  
Over his wit hath no power at all.  ¶ Hermes. 
Be merry and glad, honest, and virtuous,  
For that sufficeth to anger the envious.  Pythagoras. 
The more that a man hath of abundance,  
So much the less hath he of assurance.  Socrates. 
The friends whom profit or lucre increase,  
When substance faileth, therewithal will cease:  
But friends that are coupled with heart, & with love,  
Neither fear nor fortune nor force may remove.  Musonius. 
If that in virtue thou take any pain,  
The pain departeth, but virtues remain.  
But if thou have pleasure to do that is ill,  
The pleasure abateth, but ill tarrieth still.  Solon. 
If that by destiny things be decreed,  
To labour to shun them is pain lost in dead.  
But if that the chance of things be unset.  
It is folly to fear that we know we may let  Plato 
It is the part of him that is wise  
Things to foresee, with diligent advise.  
But when as things unluckily do frame.  
It becometh the valiant to suffer the same.  Hermes. 
If not for to speed, thou think it a pain.  
Will not the thing that thou mayst not attain,  
For thou and none other art cause of thy let,  
If that which thou mayest not thou travel to get.  Plato. 
To fain, to flatter, to gloze and to lie,  
Require colours, and words fair and sly.  
But the uttrawce of truth is so simple & plain,  
That it needeth no study to forge or to feign.  Horace. 
To the avaricious is no suffisance.  
For covetise increaseth as fast as his substance  Solon. 
He is neither rich, happy, nor wise,  
That is a bondman to his own avarice.  Pythagoras. 
To strike another if that thou pretend.  
Think if he struck thee, thou wouldst the defend.  Solon. 
To beasts much hurt happeneth because they ●e dumb,  
But much more to men by means of speech hath come.  Thales. 
All envious hearts with the dead men departed.  
But after death dureth the slanderers dart.  Hermes. 
He that at ones instance, an other will defame.  
Will also at an others to the last do the same.  
For none are so dangerous and doubtful to trust  
As those that are readiest to obey every lust.  Plato. 
Sith making of manners in company doth lie,  
Enhaunt the good, and the evil see thou fly.  
But if to the evil thou needs wilt resort,  
Return betimes, for fear thou come short.  Isocrates. 
Love between wise men by effect may fall.  
But not between fools though folly be equal:  
For wit goeth by order, and may agree in one.  
But folly lacketh order, so that concord is none.  Theophrastus. 
For a man much better it is among raveners  
To fall and be taken, than among flatterers.  
For ravens but of flesh dead bodies do deprive▪  
But flatterers devour men while they be alive▪  Socrates. 
He that of all men will be a corrector.  
Shall of the most part win hate for his labour▪  Dyogenes. 
Of slaundrers & flatterers take heed if ye will  
For neither tame nor wild best can bite us so y●  
For of wild beasts, slander is the worst biter  
And of the tame, most biteth a flatterer.  Pythagoras. 
They that to talk of wisdom are bend  
Not following the same. are like an instrument:  
Whose pleasant sound the hearers doth delight,  
But itself not hearing, hath thereby no profit.  Horace. 
As long as a ton or vessel may last.  
Of the first liquor, it keepeth the taste.  
And youth being seasoned in virtuous labour,  
Will ever after thereof keep the savour.  
Euripedes. englished by Ascham.  
What thing a man in tender age hath most in ure,  
That same to death always to keep he shallbe sure  
Therefore in age who greatly longs good fruit to mow,  
In youth he must himself apply good seed to sow.  Pythagoras. 
Beware of thine enemy when he doth menace,  
And trust thou him not if fair seem his face:  
For serpents never so deadly do sting,  
As when they bite without any hissing.  Hermes. 
treasures which falsehood seemeth to augment,  
Are evilly gotten, and worse are spent.  
Wherefore to be rich who so doth intend,  
Ought truly to win, and duly to spend.  plutarch. 
Sith the world unsteady doth oft ebb & flow,  
It behoveth a wiseman all times for to know:  
And so for to sail while he hath fair wether,  
That the haven may keep him, when hold may no anchor.  Dyogenes. 
Of a chorlysh nature proceedeth fowl language.  
But fair speech is token of a noble courage.  Anacharcis. 
A friend is not known but in necessity,  
For in time of wealth each man seemeth friendly.  Socrates. 
Wisdom & science, which are pure by kind,  
Should not be writ in books, but in mind.  
For wisdom in books, with the book will rot,  
But writ in mind will never be forgot.  Seneca. 
For covetous people to die it is best,  
For the longer they live, the less is their rest:  
For life them leadeth, their substance to double,  
Where death then dischargeth of endless trouble.  Antisthenes. 
Men ought not weep for him the guiltless is slain,  
But for the slayer which quick doth remain.  
For to die guiltless, is loss but of body,  
But body and soul both, are lost of the guilty.  Xenocrates. 
Of works begun when goodness may bred●  
We should with all swiftness, devise to proceed  
But if by our works may grow any ill,  
We should be as swift to conquer our will.  Socrates. 
By ordering the tongue is a trial most true.  
To know if a man his lusts can subdue.  
For he that ne rule can his tongue as him list,  
Hath much less power other lusts to resist.  Socrates. 
What ever it chance the of any to hear,  
Thine eye not consenting, believe not thine ear.  
For the ear is a subject full oft led awry.  
But the eye is a judge that in nothing will lie.  Seneca. Boet●us. 
wisdom & honour most commonly be found,  
In them that in virtue and goodness abound:  
And therefore are better than silver and gold,  
Which the evil commonly most have in hold.  Horace. 
Stop the beginnings, so shalt thou be sure  
All doubtful diseases to suage and to cure.  
But if thou be careless and suffer them braced,  
To late cometh plaster, when all cure is past.  Xenophon. 
If that it chance the in war for to fight,  
More than to wit, trust not to thy might.  
For wit without strength much more doth avail,  
Than strength without wit, to conquer in battle  Aristotle. 
Both hatred, love, and their own profit,  
Cause judges oft times the truth to forget.  
Purdge all these vices therefore fro thy mind,  
So shall right rule thee, & thou the truth find.  Plato. 
Although for a while thy vice thou may hide  
Yet canst thou not always keep it unespied:  
For truth the true daughter of god and of time,  
Hath sworn to detect all sin vice and crime.  Aristotle. 
The having of richesse is not so commodious,  
As the departing from them is grievous.  Plato. 
Happy is the realm, the which hath a king,  
Endued with wisdom, virtue and learning:  
And much unhappy is the Realm & province  
Where as these points do lack in their prince.  plutarch. 
To what so ever the king doth him frame,  
His men for the most part, delight in the same:  
Wherefore a good king should virtue ensue,  
To give his subjects example of virtue.  Hermes. 
Better it is for a wife to be barren,  
Than to bring forth a vile wicked carrion.  Socrates. 
Alms distributed unto the indigent,  
Is like a medicine given to the impotent:  
But to the unneady a man to make his dole,  
Is like the ministering of plasters to the whole.  Pythagoras. 
Better it is for a man to be mute,  
Than with the ignorant much to dispute.  
And better it is to live solitarily,  
Than to enhaunt much, evil company.  Diogenes. 
Try, and than trust after good assurance:  
But trust not ere ye try, for fear of repentance.  Plato. 
That thing in realm is worthy renown,  
Which raiseth up right, & wrong beateth down.  Seneca. 
Goodness itself doth good men declare,  
For which many more, the better do far.  Socrates. 
Unhappy he is where so ever he come,  
That hath a wit, and will not learn wisdom.  

¶ The things that cause a quiet life  written by Martial. 

MY friend, the things that do attain  
The happy life, be these I find.  
The richesse left, not got with pain,  
The fruitful ground, the quiet mind.   

The equal friend, no grudge, no strife,  
No charge of rule, nor governance.  
Without disease the healthy life.  
The household of continuance.   

The mean diet, no dainty fare.  
wisdom joined with simpleness.  
The might discharged of all care,  
Where wine the wit may not oppress.   

The faithful wife without debate.  
Such sleeps as may beguile the night.  
Content thyself with thine estate.  
Neither wish death, nor fear his might.      

¶ The last book Of proverbs and Semblables.  
Three books concluded according to our promise, it is requisite that the fourth follow, which being well considered, is no less profitable, either to good instrustruction, or moral wisdom, than any of the rest. For where as the other only command or show the thing simply, this kind by vehemency of matter contained in other things, persuadeth the thing effectually, besides much good learning of natural Philosophy, contained in the examples.  
And surely the diligence of the Philosophers herein is greatly to be commended, which hath devised so goodly a way to allure all men to wisdom.  
In which kind, sith Erasmus, one of the best learned in our time, hath already studied, and thereof compiled a book drawn (as he sayeth himself) out from the purest of the Philosophers, I have herein englished of his, such as to me seemed most meet for this purpose, adding them to other agreeable to this matter: omitting the rest, not because they agree not her with, but because they be so many, as will in english make a great volume: willing such as therein delight, to set forth the rest, and not to look for all things here, in which nothing less than perfection is pretended.  
As for the profit and use of Parables I think it needles for to declare, seeing their own plainness declare them so plainly, as no man may do it plainlier: as for example.  
Like as hemlock is poison to man, so is wine poison to hemlock. What declaration needeth this now, to be better understanded, except a man phisicallye should show the properties of wine and Humlockes? Now as for the use of this in persuasion, it may be thus applied.  
Like as hemlock is poison to man, and wine poison to hemlock: So is Flattery poison to friendship, and licence in be flattered, poison unto flattery.  
Lo here the example that Erasmus useth, wherein is contained great council great wit, and great learning. first it teacheth that hemlock is poison, & mortal when it is mingled with wine, which being known, may the better be avoided. Then counseleth he to beware of flattery, and in showing what maketh flattery deadly poison, he teacheth a remedy how to avoid flattery: For if we regard not a flatterer, nor give him licence to flatter us, we shall never be hurt up flattery. Such like commodity shall a man take by Parables, or as I call them, Semblables, which hereafter shall follow: the effect whereof, I have not drawn into Summaries because they be so few, but have put them together, as I found them, wishing them with all the rest, to be well accepted.  

¶ Hermes, Socrates, Plato.  
Like as a Chyrurgyen paineth sore his pacientes bodies, with lancing, cutting, and sering putrefied membres: Even so doth the mind of man, afflict & vex his unruly soul, that it might by such means be rid from voluptuousness.  
He that being reproved, departeth immediately, hating his counsellor: doth as a sick man, which as soon as his Chirurg●en hath cut his ulcer goeth his way, not tarrying until his wound be dressed, and his grief assuaged.  
Like as to a shrewd horse belongeth a sharp bridle: so ought a shrewd wife to be sharply handled.  
As plants measurably watered grow the better, but watered to much are browned and die: so the mind with moderate labour, is refreshed, but with overmuch is utterly dulled.  
As empty vessels make the loudest sound: so they that have least wit, are the greatest babblers.  
Like as a ship that hath a sure anchor, may lie safely in any place: right so the mind that is ruled by perfect reason, is quiet every where.  
As a small spot or freckle in the face is a greater blemish than a scar, or knot in the body: so a small fault in a prince seemeth worse than a greater in a private person.  
As fire smoketh not much, that flameth at the first blowing: so the glory that shineth at the first, is not greatly envy at, but that which is long in getting, envy always preventeth.  
Like as a good Musician, having any kaye or string of his instrument out of tune, doth not immediately cut it of, and cast it away, but either with straining it higher, or slackening it down lower by little and little, causeth it to agree: so should rulers rather reform transgressors, than to cast them away for every trespass.  
Like as narrow mowthed vessels which are longest in filling, keep their liquor the better: so wits that are slow in taking, are best of all to retain that they learn.  
As a sparkle of fire, or the snuff of a candle negligently left in an house may set an whole town on fire: so of privy malice and discord, cometh open destruction of people.  
As iron and brass is the brighter for the wearing: so the wit is the most ready that is most occupied.  
Like as they that taste poison, destroy themselves therewith: so he that admitteth a friend before he know him, may hurt himself whiles that he proveth him.  
Like as a Chamell hath all colours save white: so hath a flatterer all points save honesty.  
Like as one branch of a tree being set on fire, kindleth all the rest: so one vicious fellow, destroyeth an hole company.  
As a precious stone in a golden King, so shineth an heart that is settled in virtuousness.  
Like as with water, malt is made sweet: even so a sorrowful heart is made merry with wine.  
As a sick man is cured of his disease by virtue of a medicine: so is an ill man healed of his malice, by virtue of the law.  
Like as men chose good ground to labour and to sow: so should they chose honest men to be their servants.  
As the fortune of this world shall make the rejoice over thine enemies: even so may it make thine enemies rejoice over the.  
Like as wax is ready and pliant to receive any print or figure: so is a young child apt to any kind of learning.  
As a Physician can not cure his patient, except he know first the truth of his disease: even so may a man gave no good counsel, except he know thoroughly the effect of the matter.  
Even as a good Gardyner is very diligent about his garden, watering the good and profitable herbs, and rooting out the unprofitable weeds: so should a king attend to his common weal, cherishing his good and true subjects, and punishing such as are false, and unprofitable.  
As the cutting of wines and all other trees, is cause of better and more plentiful fruit: so the punishment of the bad causeth the good to flourish.  
Like as green wood which is long in kindling, is hotter than the dry when it is fired: so he that is seld and long ere he be angry, is harder to be pacified, than he that is soon vexed.  
Like as the bitterness of the Allow tree, taketh away the sweetness of the sweetest honey: so evil works destroy and take away the merit of the good.  
Like as an arrow that lighteth on a stone glanceth away, because the stone lacking softness, yieldeth not to receive it: so the riches that fortune giveth, not guided with diligence, & circumspection, vanish away without profit.  
He that teacheth good to an other, and followeth it not himself: is like him which lighteth a candle to another, and goeth himself darkling.  
Like as a vessel is known by the sound whether it be whole or broken: so are men proved by their speech, whether they be wise or foolish.  
Like as a fly which feedeth upon corrupt things, despiseth the sweet, and pure herbs: so wickedness followeth the wicked, dispraising all goodness.  
As rust consumeth iron: so doth envy the hearts of the envious.  
As a shepherd among his sheep: so ought a king to be among his subjects.  
Like as a field although it be fretile can bring forth no good fruit, except it be first tilled: so the mind although it be apt of itself, can not without learning bring forth any goodness.  
As the plough rooteth out from the earth, all brambles and thistles: even so wisdom rooteth out all vices from the mind.  
Like as a crazed ship by drinking in water, not only droundeth itself, but all other that are in her: so a Ruler by using viciousness, destroyeth not himself alone but all other besides that are under his governance.  
As it becometh the people to be obedient and subject to their lord and king: so it behoveth the king to intend diligently to the weal & governance of his people, and rather procure their profit, than his own pleasure. For as the soul is joined with the body: so is a King united with his people.  
Like as a small disease, except it be looked to in time, and remedied, may be the destruction of the whole body: so if Rulers be negligent, and look not to small things whereupon greater do depend, & see them reform in time, they shall suffer the common weal to decay, not able to reform it, when that they would.  
As the shadow followeth the body: so praise followeth virtue. And as the shadow goeth sometimes before, and sometimes behind, so doth praise also to virtue, but the later that it cometh, the greater it is, and the more of valour.  
As in every Pomegranade there is some grain rotten: so is there no man but hath some evil condition.  
As a man appeareth more in a mist, than in clear weather: so appeareth his vice more when he is angry, than when he is at quiet.  
As no Physician is reputed good that healeth other, and can not heal himself: so is he no good governor that commandeth other to avoid vices, and will not leave them himself.  
Like as the fire wasteth the fyerbrand: so doth scornfulness waste love between friends.  
As men for their bodily health, do abstain from evil meats: so ought they to abstain from sin, for the salvation of their souls.  
As health conserveth the body: even so wisdom conserveth the soul.  
As a captain is the director of an hole host: so Reason joined with knowledge, is the guide of life.  
Like as an hand is no part of a man except it can do the office of an hand: so is wisdom no part of a wiseman, except it be occupied as it should be.  
Like as a governor of a ship, is not chosen for his richesse, but for his knowledge: so ought Rulers of Cities to be chosen for their wisdom and learning, rather than for their dignity and richesse.  
As a golden bridle▪ although it garnish an horse, yet maketh him never the better: so although riches garnish a man, yet can they not make him good.  
Like as age followeth youth: even so death followeth age.  
As to the good, their goodness is a reward: so to the wicked, their wickedness is a punishment.  
Like as grief is the disease of the body: so is malice a sickness of the soul.  
As a man in a dark cave may not see his own proper figure: so the soul that is not clean & pure, can not perceive the true and perfect goodness of almighty God.  
As the goodness of wisemen continually amendeth: so the malice of fools evermore empaireth.  
As God surmounteth all other creatures: so the remembrance of him, surmounteth all other imaginations.  
As liberality maketh friends of enemies: so pride maketh enemies of friends.  
Like as Bea out of flowers, suck forth the sweetest: so should men out of sciences, learn that is best.  
Like as no man can tell where a shoe wringeth, save he that weareth it: so no man can know a woman's disposition, save he that hath wedded her.  
As they which can not suffer the light of a candle, can much worse abide the brightness of the Sun: so they that are troubled with small trifles, would be more amazed in weightier matters.  
The spouse which forsaketh her husband, because she is grieved with his manners: is like him, which because a ●ea hath stung him, forsaketh the honey.  
He that fysheth with poison, catcheth fish, but ill & corrupted: and so they that endeavour to get their husbands by deceit's and charms, may lightly get them, but better ungotten.  
Such wives as had rather have foolish husbands whom they might rule, than to be ruled by sober wise men: are like to him which would rather lead a blind man in an unknown way, than to follow one that can see, and knoweth the way well.  
Like as a block though it be decked with gold, pearls and gems, is not to be regarded except it represent the shape of somewhat: even so a wife be she never so rich, yet if she be not obedient to her husband, she is nothing worth.  
Like as the savour of carrion is noisome to them that smell it: so is the talk of fools to wisemen that hear it.  
Like as in a pair of tables, nothing may be well written, before the blots and blurs be wiped out: so virtue and nobleness can not be seen in a man, except he first put away his vices.  
Like as the eye can not at once see both above and beneath: no more may the wit apply both vice and virtue together.  
As Yuye in every place findeth somewhat to cleave to, so love is never lightly without a subject.   

¶ Aristotle, plutarch, Seneca.  
Like as Nurses oftentimes while they be to curious to rub of spots from their children, rub away the skin and all: Even so divers, whiles they go about to redress small trifles, commit greater offences.  
He that casteth away his kinsfolk, and maketh him friends of strangers: doth as the man which would cast away his fleshy leg, and set on another of wood.  
Like as rain may not profit the ●orne, that is sown upon dry stones: so neither teaching nor study may profit a fool to learn wisdom.  
Like as the eye without light, can neither see itself, nor judge of any thing else: so the soul that lacketh wisdom, is brute and knoweth nothing.  
As the towns wherein men labour, wax always richer and richer, & such as are bend to idleness and pleasure, daily decay, and come to utter desolation: so the goods that be got by travail, study and diligence, and so kept, shall continue and increase, but that which is evil got, or suddenly won, shall even as suddenly vanish away again.  
Like as the sick man which asketh counsel, and is taught of the physician is never the nearer of his health, except he take his medicine: so he that is instruct in wisdom and virtue, & followeth not the same, is never the better therefore: but loseth the health of his body, and blessedness of his soul.  
Like as it is a shame for a man which would hy● the prick, to miss the whole ●utte: even so is it a shame for him that desireth honour, to fail of honesty.  
As fyrr and heat are inseparable: so are the har●es of faithful friends.  
Like as a trumpeter soundeth out his meaning by the voice of his trumpet: so should a woman let her housbaude speak for her.  
They which were wont to do sacrifice unto juno, the Boddesse of married women, took always the galls out from the beasts which they sacrificed: signifying thereby, that all anger and displeasure ought to be far from married folk.  
Like as they which keep elephants wear no light coloured garments, nor they which keep wild bulls, wear no purple, because such colours do make them fierce: so ought a wife to abstain from such things as she knoweth will offend her husband.  
Like as a member vexed with the itch hath always need of clawing: so the covetousness of the mind, can never be satisfied.  
As a scar giveth us warning to beware of wounds: so the remembrance of evils that are past, may cause us take the better heed.  
As the complaints of children may be soon appeysed: so small affections vanish lightly.  
He that bringeth an infirmed body to a bain, or to any voluptuousness: is like to him which bringeth a broken ship in to the raging seas.  
He which giveth riches or glory to a wicked man: giveth wine to him that hath a fever.  
They which go to a banquet only for the meats sake: are like them which go only to fill a vessel.  
Like as the body is an instrument of the soul: so is the soul an instrument of God.  
servants when they sleep, fear not their masters, and they that be bound forget their letters, in sleep ulcers and sores leave smarting: but superstition alone vexeth a man when he sleepeth.  
If they be miserable which have cruel masters although they may go from them: how much are they more miserable that serve their vices as their masters from whom they can not fly.  
They which worship God for fear lest any evil should chance unto them: are like them which hate Tyrants, and yet reverence them because they should not hurt them.  
Like as they judge worse of a man the which say that he is wrathful and ungracious, than if they denied him to be alive: so they think not so evil of god, which say there is no god at all, as the superstitious which say God is froward and full of wrath and revengeance:  
Luke as they which bring up horses well, teach them first to follow the bridle: so they that teach children, should first teach them to give ear to that which is spoken.  
As we behold ourselves in other folks eyes: so should we learn by other men's report what doth become us and what doth not.  
Like as they which give unwyllinglye, seem to have but little themselves: even so they which praise other folks sclenderlye, seem to desire to be praised themselves.  
Like as in meats, the wholesomeness is as much to be required as the pleasantness: so in hearing and reading authors, we ought to desire as well the goodness as the eloquence.  
As a looking glass representeth every thing that is set against it: even so doth a flatterer.  
Like as the shadow followeth a man continually, what so ever he do: even so a flatterer what so ever a man doth, applieth himself to the same.  
Like as a Physician cureth a man secretly, he not feeling it: so should a good friend help his friend privily, when he knoweth not of it.  
Like as the rule ought to be straight and just, by which other rules should be tried: so ought a Governor which should govern other, to be good, virtuous, honest and just himself.  
As a vessel can not be known whether it be whole or broken except it have liquor in it: so can no man be thoroughly known what he is, before he be in authority.  
As darnel springeth up among good wheat, and ●●t●les among Roses: even so Envy groweth up among virtues.  
Where as is no light, there is no shadow: and where as is no wealth, there is no Envy.  
They that are ready to take a tale out of an others mouth, are like unto them which saying one proffered to be kissed, would hold forth their lips to take it from him.  
Like as an hare both delivereth, nourisheth, and is with young all at once: so an usurer before he have beguiled one, deviseth how to deceive an other, by making a false bargain.  
Like as an horse after he hath ones taken the bridle, must ever after bear one or other: so he that is ones fallen in det, can lightly never after be thoroughly quit there from.  
As a wise mariner in calm weather prepareth himself looking for a tempest: Even so ought the mind when it is most at quiet, to doubt of some tribulation.  
Like as the famished for lack of other meat, are fain some time to eat their own flesh: so many that are vainglorious, are forced to praise themselves because no man else will.  
Like as a spot ought to be wiped out at the first, lest with to long tarrying, it stain through, and be the worse to be got out: so should dissension be remedied at the first, that it grow not to hatred.  
As the vessel can not be full which alway sheddeth out, and taketh in nothing: so the man can not be wise, that evermore talketh, and never hearkeneth.  
Like as there is no tree but will wax barren and grow out of fashion if it be not well attended: so is there no wit so good, but will wax evil, if it be not well applied.  
Like as there is no beast so wild, but that diligence may make tame: so there is no wit so unruly, but that good bringing up may may make gentle.  
Like as Physicians with their bitter drugs, do mingle their sweet spices, that they might be the better received: so ought checks to be mingled with gentle admonitions.  
Like as a dog devoureth by and by what so ever he may catch, and gapeth continually for more: so if it chance us to obtain any thing, we set little by it, desirous always to obtain more.  
Like as the books which are seldom times occupied, will cleave fast together: even so the memory waxeth hard, if it be not oftentimes renewed.  
Like as the stroke which a man seeth may be the better received and defended: so the mischief which is known of before can do the less harm.  
The poison which serpents continually keep without any harm, they sp●we out to others destruction: but the malicious contrary wise hurt no man so much as themselves.  
Like as when the wine spourgeth, it breaketh the vessel, and that which is in the bottom cometh up to the brim: even so drunkenness discovereth the secrets of the heart.  
Like as a cunning workman can fashion an image of any kind of matter: so a wiseman should take in good worth all kinds of Fortune.  
Like as the Sun is alone both to poor and rich: so ought a Prince not to have respect to the person, but to the matter.  
Like as an Adamaut by a secret, & hid power draweth Iron unto it: even so wisdom by a secret mean, draweth unto it the hearts of men.  
Like as fire is an instrument without which few works can be finished: so with out Charity, nothing may be done well and honestly.  
Like as clear glass can hide nothing: so there be many that can keep secret nor dissemble nothing.  
As some poisons are so contrary by Nature, that the one cureth the other: so is it likewise of deceits and vice's.  
After winter the spring time followeth: but after age youth never cometh again.  
As it is a great foolishness to leave the clear fountains and to fetch water in puddles: so is it likewise to leave the evangelies, and to study the dreams of men's imagination.  
Like as an Adamant draweth by little and little the heavy iron, until at the last it be joined with it: so virtue and wyse-joine men unto them.  
As he which in a game place, runneth swiftest, and continueth still his pace, obtaineth the crown for his labour: so all that diligently learn, and earnestly follow wisdom & virtue, shallbe crowned with everlasting glory.    

¶ Faults escaped.  
¶ In the xu side of the Signature. A. the iii line, read. In the fourth book.  
¶ In the vii side of the Signature. B. the v, line, read. Excused him properly.  
¶ In the first side of. Q. the last line, read, That thing in a realm, etc.  
Finis.   

A table declaring the contents of the whole book.  

¶ The first book.  
THe first beginning of philosophy. Cap. i.  
The parts of natural philosophy. Cap. two.  
Of the beginning of moral Philosophy. Cap. iii.  
The kinds of teaching Moral philosophy. Cap. iiii.  
The order of the book. Cap. v  
The life of Hermes, otherwise called Mercurius Trismegistus. Cap. vi.  
Of Pythagoras. Cap. seven.  
Of Thales Milesius. Cap. viii.  
Of Solon, and which were the vii that are called sages. Cap. ix.  
Of Chylon. Cap. x  
The life of Bias. Cap. xi.  
Of Periander. Cap. xii.  
Of Anachacis. Cap. xiii.  
The life of Myson. Cap. xiiii.  
Of Epimenides. Cap. xv.  
Of Anaxagoras. Cap. xvi.  
The life of Phericides. Cap. xvii  
The life, answers, and Death of Socrates. Cap. xviii.  
Of Xenophon. Cap. nineteen.  
Of Aristippus. Cap. xx  
The life of Plato. Cap. xxi.  
Of Xenocrates. Cap. xxii.  
Of Archelaus. Cap. xxiii.  
The life of Aristotle. Cap. xxiiii.  
Of Diogenes. Cap. xxv  
Of Ant●sthenes. Cap. xxvi  
Of Isocrates. Cap. xxvii  
Of plutarch. ●ap. xxviii.  
The life and death of Seneca. Cap. xxix.  
Finis.   

The second book.  
THe profit and use of moral philosophy. Cap. i  
Of God, of his works, and of his power. Cap. two  
Of the soul, and governance thereof. Cap. iii.  
Of the world, the lusts, and pleasures thereof. Cap. iiii.  
Of Death not to be feared. Cap. v.  
Of friendship and friends. Cap. vi.  
Of counsel and counsellors. Cap. seven  
Of richesse and poverty. Cap. viii.  
Of Silence, speech, and communication how to be used. Cap. ix.  
Of Kings rulers and governors, how they should rule both themselves and their subjects. Cap. x  
In the xi Chapter are contained the precepts and counsels of good manners for all purposes, written of the Philosophers.  
Finis.   

¶ The contents of the third book.  
THe use & profit of proverbs and adages. Cap. i.  
Of Wisdom, learning, and understanding. Cap. two.  
Of justice, laws, Cities, & governance. Cap. iii  
Of power, honour, virtue, and strength, how to be used. Cap. iiii.  
Of Liberality, patience, use, custom, & diligence. Cap. v.  
Of knowledge, ignorance, and error, and of foolishness. Cap. vi.  
Of money and covetousness. Cap. seven.  
Of the tongue, of fair speech, & of flattery. Cap. viii.  
Of truth, of Faith, of error, and of lying. Cap. ix.  
Of bringing up and manners, of dispositions and good instruction. Cap. x.  
Of Love, lust and lechery. Cap. xi  
Of Sorrow, gladness, fear, and boldness. Cap. xii.  
Of anger, wrath, envy, malice, and revengeance. Cap. xiii.  
Of liberty and bondage. Cap. xiiii.  
Of women, wine, and drunkenness. Cap. xv  
The rest of the chapters of this book contain many goodly sentences of divers good and profitable matters.  
¶ Proper Meaters. Finis.   

In the last book are contained Parables, very proper to be vse●▪ written by these following.  
Hermes.  
Plato.  
plutarch.  
Socrates.  
Aristotle.  
Seneca.   
Finis.   

¶ Imprinted ❧ at London, in Flete street, at the sign of the Sun, over against the conduit, by Edward whitchurch, the twenty day of januarie, in the year of our Lord. 1547.  
Cum privilegio ad imprimendum solum, per Septennium. ❧