The first chapiter/ how the church ought to be honoured and loved capitulo primo  
How prelate's & people ought to live chastened capo. ij  
How they ought to teach and govern their subjects and to give almesses capitulo iij  
How men of the church ought to preach & say truth cao. iiij  
How they ought testudye & to learn the holy scripture v  
¶ The third book speaketh of the lords temporal. Which ought to be pietous and merciful capitulo pumo  
How they ought to be of good life & of good manners cao. ij  
How they ought not to be covetous ne avarcyous capo. iij  
How the princes ought to keep justice & maintain it iiij  
How princes ought to be debonayr and humble capo. v  
How they ought to be sober and chaste capitulo uj  
wherein the princes ought temploye them capo. seven  
How princes ought to govern them capitulo viij   

¶ The fourth book speaketh  
Of the state of the commonalty of the people capitulo primo  
Of the state of poverty which ought to be agreeable capo. ij  
Of the state of old age wherein a man ought to be virtuous iij  
Of the state of young people & how they should govern them iiij  
Of the state of maryane. & how it ought to be maintained v  
How women aught to be governed capitulo vi  
How virginity & maidenhead ought to be maintained cao. seven  
Of the state of women widows capitulo viij  
How servants ought to be maintained in their service ix  
How they that been of evil life dyen ill capitulo x  
How father & mother ought to teach their children capo. xj  
How children owen obeisance & honour to their parents xij  
Of the state of merchants capitulo xiij  
Of the state of pylgryms capitulo xiv  
How deadly sins desiren death capitulo xv   

¶ The fifth book speaketh wherefore no man ought to glorify himself  
first how the life is short and lastyth but a while capo. j  
How this present life ought little to be praised capo. ij  
How no man ought to doubt ne fere death capo. iij  
Of ensamples by which it ought not to be doubted capo. iiij  
How to think on death is a thing much profitable cao. v  
How none ought to be curious of his sepulture capo. uj  
The last chapter speaketh how a man ought to think on the last judgement and day of doom capitulo seven   
¶ Explicit tabula   


¶ The first party of this book whereof the first chapter speaketh of Pride Capitulo primo  
Every proud person would compare himself to god in so much as they glorify themself in the goods that they have. Of which things the glory is due principally to god. ¶ And it is a great abusion when the creature taketh pride in himself for the goods that god hath sent him/ for which goods he ought to be the more humble toward god/ and the better to know and to serve him devoutly Therefore saith the prophet that god resisteth against the proud folk which been fallen villainly. among whom the first was lucifer/ which for his pride fell fro heaven to hell & all they that consented to his sin. Semblably our first father Adam for the mesprysion of disobeyssaunce to god/ and obeyed to the serpent saying. that he should be as god. & eat of the fruit which was to him forboden/ therefore he was put out of paradise/ as it appeareth in the book of genesis. Furthermore Agar the chamberyer of sara was right proud against her mistress by cause of a child that she had by Abraham. But finably she was put out for her pride and her child also/ and nothing was given to her at departing but a little breed & water. as it appeareth in the xuj chapter of genesis. ¶ Also we read how the pride of nembroth and of many other was a great part cause of many evils and of the division of the world as it appeareth in the book aforesaid/ For after noah's flood were the giants which by their pride entreprysed the assault against heaven. & edyffyed the tour of babylon. And therefore they were divided in to many languages in such wise that none understood other as it appeareth in the xi chapter of genesis. And as me seemeth pride sourdeth but only of folly/ For who so well knoweth himself. if he be evil. he hath cause of great humility/ For all sin is shame and servitude/ And if he be good. he hath cause also of great humility for the grace that god hath done to him. in so much that he is good & agreeable to god. & to have humility admonesteth us the pnnytion that we read of them that were proud/ for we read how pharaoh was so proud that he said. he wist not who was god of Israel. & that he set nought ne held not of him. as it appeareth in the v chapter of exode but finably he was punished & drowned in the reed see & all his. Furthermore we read how Amon for his pride would be honoured of all men. And was much angry against Mardocheus a man so named by cause that he would not worship him. But finably the said amon was hanged on a gallows which he had ordained & made ready for to have hanged o● the said mardocheus & the children of Israel as it appeareth in the third chapter of hester. Further more abymelech for his pride did to slay himself. for by cause that a woman had smitten him. he called one his squire. & bade him to slay him to th'end that it be not said. that a woman hath slain him. as it appeareth in the ix chapter of Judith. Rede we not also how Balthasar was slain for his pride▪ And Nabugodonosor was cast down fro his siege. and turned in to a dumb be'st as it appeareth in the v chapter of danyel. Anthiochus also for his pride was greatly punished of god. & smyton with a disease of which he might never be heeled. as it appeareth in the second book of Maccabees. And generally all proud men atte last have be overthrown. Rede we not how the pride of Nychanor was descomfyt and brought to nought as it appeareth in the first book of Maccabees the viij chapter/ ¶ And Absalon which would have taken the Royame's fro his father/ was he not vysaynously slain as it appeareth in the second book of kings the xv chapter. who made Pheton to fall but his pride. For he would govern the cart against the council of his father Phoebus. And therefore he fill dyshonourably as Ovid recounteth in his first book of Methamorphaseos'/ wherefore was the son of Dedalus drowned. but by cause he would flee over high against the teaching of his father as ovid recountrth/ & david was greatly punished by cause that he numbered the people which were subject to him/ as it appeareth in the ij book of kings in the twenty-three chapter. Hewed also which was right proud was smyton of th'angel as it appeareth in the book of th'acts of the apostles. And therefore our lord Ihesu christ would show to his disciples that pride dysplaysed him. he reproved them by cause they glorified them/ in saying to Ihesu christ. Sir in thy name some been to us subgettes. & thenne Ihu cryst for to withdraw them fro their pride. he alleged to them th'history aforesaid of the angel lucycer which fell fro heaven. to th'end that they should take thereby example as it appyereth in the x chapter of saint Luc And me seemeth that for to flee fro pride we have suffisant ensamples in that which is tofore said/ But yet above this it is good to be considered how pride is not all only noyeng to the creature. but also his opposite/ that is to weet humility is ●ght playsaunt & agreeable to god & to the world. & like as pride overthroweth the creature. right so humility enhanceth & lift him up toward god. Therefore saith the prophet that the virgin Marie pleased god by cause of her humility. & david which was least among his brethren. was enhanced above them all as it appeareth in the first book of kings. the xuj chapter. Furthermore Solomon had the royalme af●r his father/ & nevertheless he was lass & more young than his brother Adonias as it appeareth the iij book of kings the twenty-three chapter. Manasses also which was lass & younger than effraym his brother had the benison tofore him as it appieryth the xxxviij chapter of genesis & generally humility & meekness of heart maketh the creature to come to honour. And pride by reason overthroweth him in th'end/ & is to god among all other sins most dysplaysaunt/ & is punished most/   

How pride blindeth the understanding of the creature capo. ij  
MAn for pride knoweth no thing of his misery ne h●s frailness. & weeneth to be more parfyght than he is. And this witnesseth the prophet saying. that when a man is in pride he loseth his understanding & knowledge. And is like a be'st which hath none understanding/ by which it appeareth that a man which will become wise aught to be humble. and to know himself without weening that he be that. which he is not. And to this purposes recounteth saint gregory in his dialogue the first book the xv chapiter. How Constancius was so humble that he loved more them that despised him than them that honoured him. And there came a man that desired moche for to see him for the great renomee of him and also for the good that was spoken of him. And finably when lx saw him he began to say by manner of wondering ¶ O Constancius I had supposed that thou hadst been a great man strong & parfyght. & of singular fashion/ but now I see clearly that is nothing so of the. Then Constancius began to give laue● unto god. In saying I praise god and thank him of that which he hath given to the so good sight and so clear knowledge of me/ For reryly thou art only he that hath well byholden me and judged clearly all the truth of me. & therefore saith Saint Austyn in his first omclye upon the gospel of saint johan. very humility or meekness is no thing to g●●●che ne murmur ne to despise any other. but to yield thankings to god of all that he sendeth/ And the same he recounteth that there was sometime of a rethorycien demanded. which was the principal commandment in rhetoric. which answered that it was well for to pronounce. And if he had been so demanded an hundred times. he would as oft so have answered Semblably saith saint Austyn if thou demanndest of me which is the pryncypal commandment in all the law of mankind. ¶ I ansner to thee/ that it is to observe meekness and humility/ And as oft as thou shalt so demand of me/ So oft shall I so answer thee/ For humility suffereth no point of error ne th'intendment thereof. but engendereth science and knowledge of truth/ And to this purpoos saith Ancelme in the xxviij chapter of his symylitudes that humility hath seven degrees. The first is to know well himself. The second is sorrow for his sin. The third is to confess his sin/ The fourth is to knowledge that he is a sinner and inclined to do evil The fifth is for to despise all himself The sixth is gladly for tendure villainy. The seventh is to rejoice of his humility/ And thus it appeareth that humility engendereth very knowledge. And therefore saint Bernard in his book of the degrees of humility saith/ that humility is none other thing but a virtue which maketh a man verily to know himself and to despise him. And for to have the same admonesteth us saint austin in the xv omelye upon the gospel of saint johan. we have saith he an ensample of great humility in our saviour Ihesu Cryst the which for to save and he'll us would descend fro heaven & becomen little. And therefore if thou will not ensue & follow thy humble servant atte lest. thou oughtest to follow thine humble master and lord Ihesu christ the which saith thus to us. learn ye of me my children for to become meek & debonayr. For such one am I humble and meek of heart which is wrycon in the xj chapter of Saint mathewe/ This lesson that god hath showed to us is the rem playre that we ought to take in him & in his deeds as saith saint Jerome in his epistle lxxxvij. More over we read in scripture how ambition & will to domyne. hath be sometime cause of many evils. & hath done so moche that many have greatly erred & fallen grievously in right enyl sin. Ne read we not how Athalie for the great desire for to mastery and regne did do slay all the seed of kings/ as it appeareth in the first book of Maccabees the xv chapter/ Roboas also for covetise to regne did many evils. and reigned right evil as it appeareth in the third book of kings the xiij chapter. Semblably Abymalech reigned right maliciously. and procured so moche by his friends that he was chosen king. but finably he slew his own brethren as it appeareth the nineteen chapter of judicum. Rede we not also how Alquius for the desire that he had to be great priest of the law murmured against him that was as it appeareth in the first book of machabees the seven chapter/ Also it appeareth how ambition hath caused many evils And in deed we read how jason for to be great priest of the law promised to the king Anthiocus. CCC.lxix marc of silver/ And sent menelaus unto him for to be his moyen & do his message. Nevertheless menelaus did so that he gate th'office for himself. as it appeareth in the second book of kings the fourth chapter. wherefore it appeareth how Ambition engendereth simony/ After we read in the third book of kings the xviij chapter how jabin slew his lord for to regne after him. but he regued not but only seven days. Tholomeus also by his ambition falsely occupied the royam of Alexandre Nevertheless it happened that he died the third day after. that he was king/ as it appeareth in the first book of machabees the xv chapter. Adomas also said not he by his ambition/ I shall regne after my father/ and yet it happened the contrary as it appeareth in the third look of kings the first chapter. For which things we may conclude how pride and ambition maken a man to become blind/ and to lose intendment and understanding. & by consequent do many sins & evils/   

¶ How humility maketh a man know himself Capo. iij  
When a man is humble/ thenne he knoweth that of himself he hath nothing but frailness poverty. and misery And therefore saith th'apostle in the ij epistle at Corynthyens warning us saying my friends prove yourself/ my friends know yourself. And saint austin in speaking alone to god saith. lord give me grace to know the & to know myself. For if I know myself. I know well that I ne am but ashes and rottynnes. And therefore Abraham as it appeareth in the xviij chapter of genesis saith/ Alas how dare I speak to god/ I that am but dust and ashes. And to this purpoos saint Bernard in his xxxuj omelye upon the canticles saith I will examine my soul and know myself like as reason will. For there is none so nyhe me as I am to myself. And therefore in old time was written on the gate of the temple these words that follow. well to know himself is the gate of heaven/ as Macrobee rehearseth in his first book/ & Policraticus in his third book the second chapter reciteth how sometime there was herd a voice fro heaven which said that every man ought to know himself. & the same saith Juvenal and witnesseth that the said wis said gnoto solidos which is to say know thyself/ And saint austin in the fourth book of the trinity the first chapter saith. I praise them that know the heaven and the earth and that study in sciences human But I praise more them that know themself/ & that well consider their frailty & poverty/ Alas saith saint bernard in the book aforesaid Pride deceiveth the creature and lieth to a man in making him or understand that/ which he is not/ & kryngeth a man unto that. that he ween that his vices been virtues/ & to this purposes saith saint gregory in his moralytes the xxxj book that the sinner weeneth that his obstination be constance/ and that his foolish dread be humility his avauntry he weeneth be largesse/ & his sloth he calleth prudence. & his importunity he nameth diligence. and thus he weeneth that his sins been virtues. And therefore a man that will live holily aught to examine himself/ & by reason wisely to chastise himself as Hugh counseleth in his book of the cloister of the soul/ and the prophet isaiah in his xlvi chapter in saying to the sinner pesynners' advise you. examine your hearts & your thoughts. Thus did a moche wise prophet named Sixius. the which every day he examined himself how he had lived and how he had thanked god of the good that he had received/ and how of his sin he had reprened & chastised himself/ As seneke rehearseth in his third book of ire/ Semblably thus we ought to do to she nde. that in knowing ourself we have cause to meek & to humble ourself toward god. & thenne all virtue shall engender in us/ For humility is of all virtues fundament & rote. For the which humility to have/ we have many good and notable examples/ As of David the which greatly meked & humbled himself. and humbly salued the ark of god as it appeareth in the second book of kings the xvi chapter. The which David also received humbly Nathan the messenger of god as it appeareth in the chapter after. And finably david seeing that god would destroy his people as it appeareth in the same book the xxiv chapter begun to weep & accused himself saying. I am he that have sinned take vengeance on me and not on the people. & finably he gate mercy. we ought also to remember of the humility of the iij kings that honoured & adored the sweet child Jhesus/ as rehereeth Saint Mathewe in the second chapter of his gospel. the which humility was agreeable to god. we read semblably of Achas notwithstanding that he was right evil. Nevertheless when he herd the pain that he ought to have he humbled himself tofore god/ & gate mercy as it is written in the iij book of kings the uj chapiter/ And Roboas by humility gate mercy of god not withstanding that he was right cruel as it appeareth in the ij book of Paralipomenon the xij chapter/ Ezechias also by his humility gate that god in his time took no vengeance as it appeareth in the book aforesaid the xxij chapter. Nabugodonosor also by his humility gate again his restitution. For he that had been destitute fro his Royame's & was becomen a dumb best by cause of his pride. was by his humility restored in his former estate as witnesseth danyel in his third chapter. Semblably mari● Magdalene humbled her self to the feet of Ihesu christ in wiping & wiping his feet with her hairs. and by the same she gate remission of all her sins. Also we read how the city of Nynyve should have been destroyed. But by humulyte and penance they gate grace as jonas rehearseth in his iij chapytrr. By the which things it appeareth how humility getteth mercy/ And in deed jacob by humble speaking appeased his brother Esau which was angry with him/ & would have slain him as some say/ As the history appeareth in genesis the xxxi chapter/ wherefore also lost Roboas part of his royalme but by proud speaking & overth wartly as we read in the third book of kings the xij chapter/ we read also how the twain companies each of thirty which came by pride to selye were destroyed by fire/ but the third company of thirty was kept by his humility as it appeareth in the fourth book of kings the first chapter. By which it appeareth evidently that pride is displaysaunt to god and the proud men were sometime right greatly pugnysshed. But by humility the creature may well get grace and pardon of god ¶ Also we read how the woman of Chananee by humble speaking gate health for her daughter as rehearseth saint Mathewe in his xv chapter/ And to this humility we have example by saint john baptist which lived in desert in right great penance and very humility/ and said himself to be unworthy to touch the latchet of the shoe of Ihesu christ. And he was clad with a camels scyn as saint matthew rehearseth in his third chapter & by cause of this humility he was enhanced above all other & called more than a prophet. Semblably helye was of right humble life. and therefore god enhanced him right greatly/ & was the first prophet for whom god began to show miracles as it appeareth in the fourth book of kings. the first the ix/ xiv. & the xvij chapytres'/ Moreover the children of Israel were reprised by holofernes. But finably they humbled themself/ and were saved as it appeareth the x chapter of judith. And generally by humility the creature may get of god that which he hath need of. for which humility to have. moche profiteth it a man to well behold & know himself as it is said in the beginning of this present chapter/   

How humility is agreeable to god & to the world capo. iiij  
HVmylite is much pleasant to god & to the world/ For she witnesseth of thomage that the creature oweth to do to his creator naturally. every good man hateth pride/ wherefore it followeth that he loveth humility/ And verily we see in deed that a proud man may have no friend & the reason is this. For he may not suffer that another be like to him/ but he will surmount every man/ & so gainsayeth all amity. For as Arystotle saith in the ix chapter of the Ethyques. Amity or friendship requireth semblance & some equality between them that so owen to love. alas pride divided heaven pride also maketh many wars in the world. For will & desire to regne maketh oft many great battles. & sometime without cause put many men to death. Therefore the wise man ought to humble his heart for to be loved of god. & after of the world/ And of so much as the creature hath more of good & wealth/ & lass of adversity. of so much he ought the more to humble himself and not tabyde the time of necessity when he shall by force be humbled/ Therefore saith Aristotle that more it availeth him that humbleth himself by his owen will than to him that is humbled by force. And therefore Seneke in his epistle to lucille lxx. saith thus. bring thyself to low & little estate without to enhance thyself/ to th'end that fortune make not the to fall foo high to low. Say not the naturyens that the lion doth no harm to a man that humbleth himself to him. & wild bore doth no harm to a man that is laid on th'earth/ And therefore a man oweth by right to humble himself for tesche we peril. And to this purpoos we read how dydymus in his epistle said to alyxandre. know thou for truth that god is ready to do to the moche good. so that thou be not deceived by thy pride. by which it appeareth that pride empecheth wit & advice. & maketh a man to live without peace of conscience. For hates & noises be founded in pride. as in the rote of all enmity/ And to this purpoos say the naturyens that the thunders. lightnings and the great winds been caused of some earthly things which ascend ●●●tylly up above by the rays of the son/ & more higher than th●y ought to do. But nature which may not suffer them sendeth them again down/ & in like wise causen the things abovesaid/ Semblably is it of a proud man which is much toothful & full of noises. by cause that be mounteth more high than he ought or should. & in deed he falleth lower than he would for he may endure nothing of the world. necesse not to despise other. Therefore saith Prudence in his book of subgection of vices/ that humility adressth a man. & maketh his life more in a moyen in all his operations and tesche we outrage. Therefore rehearseth valere in his fourth book that sith that another Valere had be much great at Rome. he put himself freely in a right little estate/ and left all pomps and all worldly things. and me seemeth that all proud people ought to advise them upon the histories and ancient examples the which show how humility enhanceth the people/ and pride overthroweth them. Rede we not how saul kept neat/ and david sheep/ & after were kings. Constantyn also was right power when he took to his wife helen/ and after was chosen Emperor By which it appeareth that the humbles have been enhanced but of the proud folk what shall we say. I pray the byholde what is become of the puissance of new which fysshed with nets of gold/ where is the puissance of pharaoh. where is the mighty city of Troy which was so renowned/ where is babylone that was so made in height. Certainly all is come to nought/ For pride may not long endure. What availeth thenne pride which the world so moche loveth/ what is become of Arphaxat the proud king. he was all vanished away as smoke. what is become of Agryppe and Iulyen that were so mighty. Fortune hath taken away fro them all that she had given them/ he is a fool that trusteth in her. but peradventure thou shalt say/ that thou mayst well trust in thy wit/ and in thine havoyr. where as is thy great puissance. Alas I pray the. wilt thou address the & consider that no man ought to glorify ne set his heart in his sapience ne in his wisdom And hereof hast thou example of solomon the wise man which afterward was deceived so moche that he adored idols/ & Architofel the wise counsellor of david finably he hinge himself/ And the wise cathon. slew not himself. & democritus also. And therefore it is great folly for a man to glorify himself in his wit & cunning/ more over what availeth the if thou be fair/ For Absalon was fair/ nevertheless he was hanged on a tree. And th'elephant for all the beauty of his ivory & his teeth is oft put to death. The gamaleon is much fair in his life. but he is right foul in his death. what availeth thenne the beauty of this world. Thus every person may see and well apperceyne. that there is no thing in this world whereof we ought to have pride for to glorify ourself. And this considered the king of pierce seeing his people and his knights wept saying/ Alas I see a right fair company But it is pity/ seen that in short time they shall be but earth/ In like wise recounteth saint Iherome. that there is no thing of the world that endureth For we read that jonynyan did great pain for to become a king. but he died the same day that he should have be made king of the royalme of Perce. and Valentyne that was so rich. was by bleeding at the mouth deed & quenched. And his son gracyen was betrayed of his owen people & slayu by one his enemy/ then it is but little glory to signory and to have ryclxsses. and the same said the king agryppe/ which is tofore named. the which in dying cried with an high voice. Alas my good people set nothing by having of ryclxsses. For me that am your lord ye may see die right pourely. And therefore Orace in his epistles saith. that there is nothing that better appertaineth to a man than lowliness or little thing. For to a little thing appertaineth little. That is to weet humility/ the which maketh agreeable to god and to the world as tofore is said.   

How the creature ought humbly to obey to god capitulo v  
THe scripture saith that obeyssannce pleaseth more unto god/ than doth sacrifice. And hereof we have example of our first father Adam which used his owen proper will and left the commandment of our lord Ihesu christ. which god had given him/ And therefore he fell in to great poverty and in to many miseries. as witnesseth Saint Augustyn in his xv omelye upon the gospel of Saint john/ It is also well reason that the servant obey to his master/ And consequently the creature to god/ And to this purpoos recounteth valerye in his second book how of old● time the knights obeyed to the princes upon pain of death/ By moche more strong reason we ought to obey to god with all our might. For as saith the scripture we ought more to obey to god than to men And if we obey us to men/ that aught to be for the love of god. Thus counseleth us th'apostle. And certainly much good is fallen to them. that have humbly obeyed god. And to this purpoos recounteth Saint gregory in his dialogue the first book the seventh chapter how saint benet had a disciple whom he commanded that he should run upon the water. whom he obeyed & was saved fro peril. then saint ●enet demanded him if he had any fere of the watrr. And he answered him that he had apperceived no water/ And then saint Benet thanked god for as much as he had seen thus miracle for the obedience of his disciple. Saint gregory also rehearseth of a religious man which at commandment of his abbot every day by iij year watered a piece of wood all dreye which was set in the earth/ And yet he must fetch the water a mile f●rre And by cause of the merit of his obeisance the third year the said t●●e flourished. and this history rehearseth Cassiam the first look of his collations in which he recounteth also how the disciple of a right old man at his commandment would remove a right great toche/ and advised him not if he might do it or not. For it sufficed him to obey his master after his power/ By the which things it appeareth how obedience is agreeable to god. for the which to have. we have example in nature/ as sayen the naturyens. The beasts obeyen to the lion as to their king/ And dare not pass the circle that the lion maketh with his tail. Semblably the bees that maken honey obey to their king/ and the Cranes also. And in nature we see many things semblable. More over in holy scripture we have to this purpoos many examples. And verily we read how Noah obeyed right expressly to god as it appeareth in the seven. chapter of genesis. And therefore he was saved/ fro the flood. ¶ Semblably the children of Israel for their obedience were kept of god as it appeareth in the ix chapter of the book of numbers. Thappostles also lightly obeyeden to god in so much that they followed him at first calling as reciteth saint Matthew in his iiij chapter/ And therefore above all people been they enhanced in the church/ and also in heaven. Semblably Abraham obeyed to god in so much that he would have sacrified his owen son and smitten of his heed at commandment of god as it appeareth in the xxij chapter of genesis. And therefore god promised to abraham that of his seed should be born the saviour of the world. Therefore we ought more to obey to god than to man. as it is tofore said. And according to this we have ensample of Mathathias which answered to the messenger of the king Anthiocus saying. that if all obeyed to the king Anthiocus. yet he would not obey to him but to god. as it is written in the book of machabees the second chapter. ¶ we read also of the seven brethren/ that had liefer to die than to eat flesh forboden. against the commandment of god. not wythstonding the king commanded it to them. whereby it appeareth that they ought to be reproved that excuse them of the evil that they do for their masters that so command them. For such is of no value. by cause they ought first obey the commandment of god. as saith Saint Petre in the v chapter of thaetes of th appostles. More over for to obey/ aught to incline us the example of the virgin Marie. the which obeyed to the words of the angel in saying. Loo the handmaid of god. late it come to me as it shall please him. & after thy word/ we read also how david not withstanding that he was king obeyed to his father/ as it appeareth the first book of kings the seven chapter/ And young Thobie said to his father that he was ready to obey to him/ And cornchus centurio was ready t'obey to him/ whom god had ordained to be prelate and master. as it appeareth the tenth chapter of th'acts of thappostles/ ¶ Also we read how the regabytes drank no win ne had no houses/ for to obey to their father/ As jeremy reciteth in his third chapter. By which things it appeareth how obedience was observed of the Auucient people & that they that disobeyed were pugnysshed of god/ as it appeareth of the children of Israel. the which were overthrown ●n battle/ for so moche as they did against the will of god. & entered not in to the land of ꝓmyssion which they desired as it appeareth the xxiv chapiter of the book of numbers/ jonas also was thrown in the see. by cause he disobeyed to do that god had commanded him/ as it showeth in the third chapter of jonas. & therefore we ought to obey to god fyrs/ & after to other creatures. if we will esche we peril & please Ihesu Cryst as saith saint bernard upon canticles/ The man is not worthy to have any good if he know not ne obey god. & saint gregory in his omely saith. that he ought to be most humble toward god and most inclined to serve him. that hath received most goods of him/ & if he do otherwise the goods that he hath received shall be encreasyug of his pain at the day of judgement. This witnesseth Hugh the viij chapter of the book of the Ark of Noe. And for to have cause to remember the god that god hath done to us we have many examples in holy scripture. Rede we not how jacob after that god had sent to him many goods. he said/ Sir I thank the for the good that thou hast done to me. Of which I much remember. as it is showed in the xxij chapter of genesis./ ¶ Semblably did David as it appeareth in the second book of kings the seven chapter. And Danyel said. lord thy name be praised and blessed for the good that thou hast done to me/ as it appeareth in the second chaptyre of danyel/ ¶ Semblably the apostle Saint Paul in his epistles right oft and continually praiseth and thanketh god as it is showed in the first chapter of his epistle to the romans/ Rede we not also how the children of Israel sungen in looving and praising god by cause he had delivered them fro servitude. and that they had passed without peril the reed see. as it appeareth in the xv chapter of Exode. Semblably the three children that god delivered fro the fournays blessed god right sweetly and devoutly as it is written the third chapter of danyel. by the which things it appeareth how every man ought to humble himself toward god and to yield to him thankings of the goods that he hath received/ ¶ And to this purpoos Seneke in his four score and one epistle to Lucylle saith to a man unkind. no man ought to say no thing. Then we ought to take ensample of the children of Israel. the which after their victory of Syraza offreden unto god many yefts in their sacrifice. as it appeareth the one and twenty chapter of the book of numbers/ And after that they had had the victory of Syrasa and Delbore they began to sing in praising as it appeareth in the fourth chapter of Judith Semblably when they had had victory by judas the Machabee against Thimothean. they began to sing and praise god as it appeareth in the second book of Maccabees the tenth chapter. Methynketh that they be right moche to be reproved that remember not the goods that god hath done for them/ & that were is after the measure that god giveth to them most good. they become most haultayn and the more proud/ they dign not to take ensample at the good creatures/ the which some time loved god the more. by cause of the goods that he got to them/ ¶ Also we read how Anne loved god. and thanked god of the grace that she had to have a child as it appeareth in the first book of kings the second chapter/ And when the vyrgyve mary had conceived our lord Ihesu christ. she began for to magnify god in saying/ Magnificat anima meadominum/ That is to say my fowl magnefyeth god/ as rehearseth to us Saint Luc in his first chapter/ And zacharias when his son was born/ that is to were Saint johan baptist. then be began to say/ blessed be the lord god of Israel. which hath visited and hath redeemed his people ¶ Nevertheless some there be that take heed to none other thing but to have good without taking heed fro whence pixy ●ome. And therefore finably their goods perish/ and come to an evil port and yet not in their tyme. Nevertheless finably their heirs been prived fro them for thingratitude. and not remembering fro whence they camTherfore ought every man to behold and take heed of that which he hath received for god. and so much the more serve him devoutly, and love him. and not only to god but also unto his neighbour him ought emembre the benefayttes and goods that he hath had of him/ ¶ And hereof we have ensample of thobye which offered right many great yefts to the angel that had heeled his father and had delivered him foo the devil. and kept him foo the fish that would have devoured him/ ¶ He supposed that the angel had been a man. and therefore he offered to him part of his goods/ as it appeareth the xiij chapter of Thobie. ¶ And also david semblably. humbly thanked them that had served him as it appeareth in the ij book of kings 〈◊〉 chapter. Helyas raised the son of the widow which had done much good to him/ as it appeareth in the third book of kings the xvij chapter. And generally all men of renom me and of good life have remembered the goods that they have received. And they that do otherwise be approved as people unworthy to have good. the which may be compared to the boutelyer servant of Phaxa●●. the which anon had forgotten the good that joseph had done to him in prison as it appeareth in the forty chapter of genesis. ¶ And to them whom david had done much good. which put them in pain for to deliver him in to the hand of Saul his mortal enemy. ¶ Saul also had received many good things of david. and nevertheless he would have slain him as it is written in the first book of kings the xvij chapter/ And Absalon poursewed his father david. which had done to him much good/ For he had pardonned him of the death of his brother and had kept him fro banishment. O what ingratituding and what treason of the son to the father. which is showed in the second book of kings the xv chapter ¶ Of this Ingratitude or unkindness been many entatched in doing evil to them that have done to them good. or to their successors. Thus did the king joab/ the which forgot thamy tie of joga the priest of the law. For he slew zacharye his son. as it is written in the book of Paralipomenon the xxiv chapter./ ¶ And Amon the proud procured the death of the children of Israel/ which hadden done to him much good and seruyees/ as it appeareth in the second book of kings the tenth chapter. ¶ O ingratituding thou forgetest benefayttes and makest a man unworthy to have good. And therefore of unkind people god complaineth him in the first chapter of isaiah the prophet in saying. I have nourished children and enhanced them. and they have despised me. And he●●of have we many histories of them that have despised god after that they received good of him.  
¶ Rede we not also how our lord Ihesu Cryst delivered some time the children of Israel from the hands and servitude of pharaoh. and after they forsook god and worshipped calves of gold as it appeareth the uj chapter of the book of numbers ¶ To which children of Israel god of heaven sent Manna in desert. And yet nevertheless they murmured as it appeareth in the book aforesaid the xv chapter/ we read also how god enhanced sometime Iheroboam. and made him lord of x trybus/ And nevertheless this was he that withdrew the people fro the service of god. For it is so written in the third book of kings the xij chapter. Ananias also by the helps of god surmounted his enemies/ Nevertheless after he forsook god and worshipped th'idols. as it is written in the second book of paralypomenon the xxv chapter. and therefore the wise man ought to advise him well of the goods that he hath received. and ought sweetly to remember them as it is tofore written.   

¶ How patience is the second virtue. and it ought for to be had capitulo v●  
THe sovereign moyen for to surmount his enemy/ is to have pacieuce. And therefore saith plato/ that the rote of all philosophy and of all sapience is patience/ And to this purpose Seneke in his uj epistle to Lncylle saith. we ought saith he gladly to endure adversities/ For by Impacyence we do none other thing but to weigh our evil and make it greater/ And in deed the wise men were right patient As Syllen the which fond first the laws. and was much wise and right patient as recounteth valerius in his seven book and episenre set nothing by any sorrow that might hap to him as rehearseth terquilian in his apologetique & quyntilian in his x cause saith that pain is no thing. but if it be to him that endureth it against his will. And if a man endureth it gladly/ thenne he maystryeth fortune. as saith prudence in his book of the subgection of sins/ ¶ And Lucan in his third book saith that patience enjoyeth in adversity. and maketh a man to come to great good in so much that no man may grieve ne noye him/ In like wise saith macrobe in the book of saturnelles in which he recounteth how Augustus the Emperor was right patient. not witstanding that there was said to him many villainies/ And valere in his fourth book reciteth how Syracusan was right patient when denys the tyrant put him out of his country/ And it happened for to have recomfort he went to the house of Theodore and abode right long at the gate. The which thing seeing Syracusan he said to his fellow/ Alas I ought to have good patience For I have made in time passed many other to abide at my gate/ Semblably every man ought to think/ when there cometh to him any adversity that it is by cause of his sin/ For by cause of our sins we ought gladly to endure and have patience. And in deed patience awaketh a man and maketh him oft to get wrtues. and to become good/ As wit nesseth valere in his third book of Alexandeidos. Alas we see how many for to recouure health endure many pains. & receive oft bitter medicines. then by more stronger trason we ought to endure adversities for to get virtues & for to hele the soul/ and therefore saith Cathon that he may not by his puissance surmount adversity but he help him with patience/ and to this purpoos we have example of socratrs the which sometime was right patient. in such wise that none might anger him/ as cassian saith in his book of collations/ & saint Iherome in his first book against jonynyan/ recounteth how Socrates had ij wives the which were to him full grievous & full angry/ & died him much harm. but all way he had patience. & took it all in gree. & said that patience made no force of tormenting ne to suffer harm/ semblably we have many examples of many persons the which were right patient. Rede we not how Isaac was right patient when his father would have smyton of his heed for to have sacrified him. as it is red in the xxij chapter of genesis. And joseph was right patient in the persecution of his brethren when they sold him as it appeareth the xxxvij capytre of genesis/ and david was much patient when his son absalon pursiewed him. as it is written in the ij book of kings the xuj chapter. and thobye endured much patiently the Injuries that his wife did to him & his friends as it is written the second chapter of thobye/ verily patience is the very mistress of all adversity. & is the virtue by which a man may furmounte fortune. And more over we read that by patience many have gotten moche good. and by it have eschewed many evils/ Ne read we not how gedeon by his patience and his humble speaking repeased the children of Effraym as it appeareth in the book of juggis. the viij chapter. Semblably the fair & sweet speaking of Abygayl repeased david when he was angry against Nabal her husband as it appeareth in the first book of kings the xuj chapter. But Roboas by his Impatience & rude speaking lost his dignity & his seygnontye. as it appeareth in the iij book of kings the xij chapter. Alas what availeth Impatience/ but if it be for to increase words. but by patience we may get victory of our enemies.   

¶ How Ire and hate noye and grieve the creature capo. seven  
AS Seneque saith. Ire troubleth the understanding of the creatures. And therefore it should be their profit for to behold & take heed of themself. For as Seneque saith if an irous man beheld himself. he should have pity of himself as who saith that Ire or wrath giveth afflyction to him that is angry. and to this purpoos tullius in the process that he made for martell saith that ire is ancient in council. And epycure saith that Ire accustomed maketh a man to come out of his wit. And burdius saith that Ire doth more harm to him that is angry than to another. Thenne ought every man ●eschewe ire. For as saith cathon Ire engendereth discord & all enemytye & causeth reason to perish. in the second book of eneydoes. Therefore saith thibulle that they were much horrible that first fond wars/ many been deed evylly. and Ire hath so much done that many in despair have slain themself. Recounteth not valere in his ix book how othus' which after was named darius was right cruel and much Irous in so moche. that he did do slay many good men/ & contrived many engines terrible for to make men to die but finably the cruelty came upon himself. For reason would that he that is cruel should by cruelty be cast out and pugnysshed. therefore it is good to consider what harm cometh of ire. and as me seemeth it is none other thing but a spice of rage/ thus saith seneque in his first book of clemence/ Nevertheless I will not reprove the ire of good men. the which been wrooth when they seen harm done. For the prophet saith a man may be wroth for harm & ill that he seeth done without sin. And certain we read how Moses was angry against the people by causethey kept the manna against the commandment of god as it appeareth the xvij chapter of Exode. And also he was angry when he saw the people worship the calf in so much that he broke the cables of the commandements in casting them down as it is written the xxij chapter of Exode. And Neemias was angry against them that died vsure as it appeareth the xv chapiter of neemye. by which it appeareth that it is no fault ne sin to be angry for doing of enyl/ And in deed Saint Augustyn saith that god is angry against the sinners in punishing them. And to this purpoos we read how god was angry against Solomon by cause of his idolatry/ as it appeareth in the fourth book of kings the x chapter. & for semblable reason he was angry against the children of Israel/ & put them in the hand of Azael their enemy. as it appeareth the iiij book of kings the x chapter/ Semblably for idolatry god was angry against joab. & against his captain. as it is written the second book of paralopomenon the xxiv chapter/ we read also how god was angry against the children of Israel because they did fornication with the daughters of Moab as it appeareth the xxv chapter of the book of numbers/ by which things it appeareth how god is angry sometime against the 〈◊〉. But that is not Ire named ne Impatience which troubleth the spe●ite & the intendment which empecheth and 〈◊〉 many good things. and maketh a man to come to many Inconuenyen●●s. Ne recounteth not Valere in his ix book of the cruelty of a judge which made a bull of brass/ & had ordained that the evyldoers should be closed therein. & there should die by famine. the which thing seeing Hanybal/ he condemned the same judge to die the same death/ to the which he had condemned other. And nevertheless hanybal was also right cruel/ in so much that he made a bridge of the bodies of the romans which he had slain/ upon which he & his people passed over the river of golle. but at the last the said hanybal was overthrown of his adversaries/ For cruelty by reason must be cruelly served. And therefore no man ought to be cruel ne to be Ireful ne bear wrath in his heart. For the Ire tormenteth the Irous. and bringeth him to such a point that he can not ne may not consent to reason/ Alas what availeth me if I hate my neighbour. seen that in such estate I may not please god. sith I love not him whom I ought to lone. and also I may have no pardon ne forgiveness if I forgive not other. Rede we not how jepte made peace with the galady●●s in so much that he fought for them/ Not withstanding that they had done to him many evils & moche harm as it appeareth the uj chapter of judicum/ ¶ David in like wise would not slay y●obeth his enemy. And in deed he did do slay the ij thevye that presented to him the heed of his enemy as it appeareth the ij book of kings the iiij chapter/ wherefore it appeareth that no man ought to have Ire in his heart ne bear wrath But the devil which is prince of all division by divers manners engendereth the strives & noises/ For some hate all their neighbours. and some hate by envy other/ ¶ such was the hate of the brethren of joseph/ whom they sold as it is written in the xxix chapter of genesis. wherefore hated the egipciens the children of Israel. but by cause they became great and multiplied as it is written the third chapter of Exode And Saul wherefore hated he david. but for as much that he saw that he was wise and moche loved of the people. as it appeareth the first book of kings the xuj chapter/ And the fiend by divorce manners soweth discord & Ire. but be that is wise aught to bear no wrath. but desire we'll and good to every man/   

¶ How no man ought to strive ne engender noises cap viij  
By strife may come no good. but it engendereth noises. which oft-times may not well be appeased. And therefore Chaton saith ●to his son. my son thou oughtest to flee noises & strives. For much people have had harm by speaking but by being still & not to speak few or none have had any harm. And to this purpoos saith Juvenal in his iiij book that striving language beareth venom in himself & corrupteth good manners & empessheth & letteth friendship. And me seemeth that who that may have peace by his little speaking or being still. hath not greatly cause to speak. For for to speak well is a great mastery. but for to be still and say little is no great pain/ and oft-times scileuce causeth to have peace. And this witnesseth Ovid in his book of the art of love. More over by reason it well appeareth that contention ne strife is noothing worth/ For if thou strive for to sustain troth and bounty. it is no great wisdom. For troth & bounty sustain themself. And therefore it sufficeth to understand without any thing to strive. For who that understandeth truth and will not consence thereto. by his strife he shall not change his purposes. And if thou stryne for falsehood and for evil/ the sin is much great. & so lesest thou thy pain for of so much as thou the more stryvest. of so much thy falsehood more clearly showeth/ And this witnesseth a phylosophre named exenophon And Seneke in his first epistle to lucylle saith that a man should not strive against a fool. And to a wise man for to strive it is a folly/ For the wise man hateth noise and strife. and empessheth the peace of hearts and consciences/ Therefore saith the wise man that fair and sweet speaking maketh a man to have p●es & friends. Then is good to inquire fro whence comen the noises and strives. and me seemeth that they be oft engendered of pride. For we read how Amalech made war against the children of Israel. for fere that he had to lose his signory/ as it appeareth in the xvij chapter of Exode. & sometime the noises comen by Impatience. & by fierce words as it is above said. by which it appeareth that no thing or little to speak is sovereign moyen for to have peace & flee noises. Also we read how Saul dissimuled of them that myssayed or spaken evil of him as it appeareth the first book of kings the x chapter/ And Thobie said not a word to his wife when she said many injuries to him as it appeareth the second & the iij chapter of thobie/ In like wise ought the wise man to do in hearing without any striving.   

¶ Here followeth the third virtue/ which is abstinence/ & how one ought to live sobrely capitulo ix  
gluttony is cause of many evils & sins/ and engendereth many maladies bodily & ghostly. And therefore saith tullius in his first rhetoric that attemperance is none other thing but by reason to mastery the flesh and all corrupt desire. And saint Ambrose saith that attemperance is a virtue which ruleth a man in that. which he ought to to/ And therefore the ancient men lived right soberly/ And to this purpoos recounteth Egelle in his first book/ how Socra●●s was right sober all his life. the which socrates said. that the people ought not live for to eat. but to eat for to live. and lactence in his book of very odoration saith that the poets calleden gluttony bestyalite. For a man being a glutton liveth without reason & without rule. And therefore seneque in his book of iiij virtues saith that men should eat without replection. and drink without drunkenness. For gluttony maketh a man lightly to fall in to lechery/ and to this purpoos recounteth saint Jerome against jonynyan. how galyen said that a man may not surely live. but if he live soberly. the which thing is very truth/ not only to the body. but also to the soul/ And therefore socrates eat not but one time of the day when the son went down as recounteth agelle in the book aforesaid. And Bocee in the second book of consolation saith that nature is content with little thing/ as who should say that nature requireth soberness and abstinence. & to this purposes recounteth valere in his second book and saith that the ancient old men lived right soberly to th'end that they should be chaste/ in so much that the women of Rome drank no win for the same cause/ And agelle in his book aforesaid reciteth ●ow the romans lived right soberly & singularly at souper. for thenne they eat little or nought. More over didimus in writing to Alysaunder saith that the people of his country were right/ sober and took no refection but after reason and after the necessity of nature. And concluded finably that they of the said country had commonly no maladies. ne used none other medicine but of soberness & of abstinence. By the which things it appeareth/ to live soberly is a thing much prouffy table to the soul & to the body-and by soberness the body hath health. and the soul liveth without sin. And therefore saith Lucan that a man ought to accustom him to give to nature attemperance. and for to attempre his nourishing. the which ought to be without outrage. and without drunkenness. For gluttony is not alone. but hath all way many sins with him. & certainly by gluttony a man loseth his wit & understanding. and showeth oft his secret folly/ glo●●●nye maketh a man old/ and soon to become loothely & soul. And by drunkenness many strives & noises sourden & comen/ & maketh a man to be like a dumb be'st/ For as gaulter saith in his first book of alexandeidos. drunkship is the sepulchre of reason. And Ovid in his second book of remedy of love saith/ that drunkship buryeth the courage & will of a man. For by drunkenness a man becometh as deed & is of all points not able to do well. And therefore each of us ought diligently t'eschew gluttony/ for that is the vice by the which the fiend overcometh a man and warryth against him. for of this sin he tempted our first father Adam. by which finably he was put out of paradies. as it appeareth the iij chapter of genesis. Semblably he would have tempted our saviour Ihesu christ saying to him/ if thou be the son of god. make of these stones breed. as it is written the iij chapter of the gospel of saint Matthew/ More over gluttony maketh a man lecherous. And hereof we have example of loath. the which by drunkenness defouled and brought his owen two daughters with child. as it is written for ix chapter of genesis/ gluttony also maketh a man dishonoured/ And hereof we have example by Noe. the which in his drunkenness lay shamefully on the ground and showed his membres of nature. by which he was scorned of his son Cham as it is written in the viij chapter of genesis. Alas by glotonnye the children of Israel were sometime tempted & greatly deceived as it appeareth the xuj chapter of exode. And by gluttony Esau sold his patrimony as it appeareth the xxv chapter of genesis. Rede we not more over how jonathas was condemned to death. for as much as he eat a little honey against the commandment of his father as is written the first book of kings the xiv chapter/ By which it appeareth that glo●onnye hath 〈◊〉 moche harm. And certainly we read that the phylystees were slain in eting and drinking. For the house fell upon 'em as it appeareth the xvij chapter of judicum. Semblably it happened to the children of job as it appeareth the first chapter of job. How was holofernes the strong giant slain. but in his drunkenness. for judith slew him when he was drunk as it is written the x chapter of Judith. How was simon slain & his children but in eting and drinking as it appeareth the first book of machabees the xv chapter. And naman after that he had eaten greatly and joyously/ he was after 〈◊〉 cylyed as it is wreton the ix chapter of hester ¶ Thenne me seemeth that gluttony is a sin chargeable and causing a man to do many evils.   

¶ How abstinence is cause of moche good capo. x  
By abstinence reason overcometh the flesh/ And taketh away all supfluyte/ And the virtues been engendered ● nourished. And to this purpoos we read how dyo●ene which was a wise phylosophre despised abundance of vytayiles and all supfluytees/ As valere reciteth in his iiij book. And therefore in wit & in patience. he was right renowned & greatly praised. And as bernard saith in his microcosm. abstinence nourisheth the wit/ & gluttony des●●●oyeth it/ & therefore sometime all they that would come to great good liveden soberly as it appeareth in many places of holy scripture/ And certainly we read how god commanded sometime to the children of Israel. that they should live soberly/ and that they should keep them fro eting of divers meats as it appeareth in the ij chapter of the book of levities: we read also how moyses fasted xl days to th'end that god would give and grant to him the common law wreton. as it appeareth in the second chapter of exode/ Semblably Helye lived right soberly to th'end that he might prophetyse the more wisely. And in deed the angel brought to him breed & water. and crows two times in the day brought to him flesh. as it appeareth in the third book of kings the xvij chapter. wherefore it appeareth how the fiends which been understanden by the crows desyren a man to gluttony and replection of his flesh/ but the angels will that a man be sober and rule him by abstinence. More over we read how god showed to danyel many visions. the which lived right soberly. as it appeareth the ix chapter of Danyel Semblably Anne served god in fasting and in prayers/ and therefore she prophesied of Ihesu christ right wisely as saith saint Luc in his second chapter/ And therefore sometime they that devoutly were consacred did by abstinence singularly divers things. which might not be done in drunkenness/ as it is written the vi chapter of the book of numbers. we read also how saint johan baptist eat only honey sokles as saint Matthew writeth in his third chapter. And therefore he was enhanced above all prophets. But now the time is ●omen that gluttony reigneth. And therefore reason warreth against the flesh and overcometh it in so much that lechery is moche commune in this world For the nouryture of lechery is glofonye and drunkenness. but we ought to consider how by abstinence we should eschew many evils. & to get great graces of god. & to this purpoos we re●e how the king iosaphath had sometime victory by cause he fasted/ and preached to other that they should fast/ as it appeareth in the ij book of paralipomenon the nineteen chapter. Semblably we read how the children of Israel were two times dyscomfyt of the children of bemamyn but after they fasted. and god gave to them the victory as it appeareth the second book of judicum. Semblably the children of Israel were discomfit by the phylistees in so much that they bore a way the ark of god. but after the children of Israel began to weep & fast. & therefore god gaf to them victory. as it appeareth the first book of kings the iiij & seven chapiter. & therefore saith thobye/ that prayer is good. when it is accompanied with fasting/ we read that esdras preached penance to the people that would demand pardon of god. as it appeareth in the fourth chapiter of Esd●as/ we read also how achab gate grace of god for to fast as it appeareth in the second book of kings the first chapter/ & semblably we read of the city of Nynyue the ij chapter of jonas. By the which things it appeareth how we ought to live soberly for to get grace & virtues/ for as Arystotle saith in his xiij book of beasts/ It is not profitable thing for one to fat himself. For overmuch fattenes maketh a man suddenly to die. as witnesseth Constantyn/ which thing is very true/ & not only to the body. but also the soul. For gluttony fatteth a man and maketh him to sin and finably to die evylly. whereby it appeareth how abstinence is cause of moche good.   

¶ Here followeth the iiij virtue which is chastity./ And first how we ought to live chastened capitulo ●j  
●En ought to live chastened/ For chastity maketh a man to live like augellies/ and causeth their life honest. and therefore Dydymus said to Alexander that the people of his country liveden chastened. and not only by virtues but also by honest/ But it is pity of lechery which is on this day so commune. and causeth people to go out of the way/ and to languysshe in sin and in dissolute life. Alas they ought to take heed to thauncyent people. And to this purpoos recounteth saint Jerome in his book against Ionynyen. how Plato chaas for to dwell in a village in the fields named Achadenne which was far fro Athenes and fro all other cities. to this end that he might esche we lechery and live chastened. And Terculyen reciteth how democryte pulled out the eyen of his heed to th'end that he should see no women/ the which he might not behold without sin/ whereby it appeareth that chas●yte ought to be had/ And also men ought tesche we wantown regards and beholdings. & therefore the pyc●oryens of old time chaas the deserts & places solitary for t'eschew lechery & to th'end they should not see the vanities of the world. And therefore saith the gospel if thine eye is evil or causeth the to do evil thou oughtest to take him out & cast it a way fro the. Alas worldly & fleshly byholdynges & regards have made of old time many folks to overthrow. Rede we not how the men in beholding the women were moved to lechery. & therefore god punished them by noah's flood as it appeareth the vi chapter of genesis. And the mistress of joseph in beholding him was moved to sin. Semblably david in beholding a woman which washed herself. was moved to lechery. & for taccomplisshe his sin he slew her husband as it appeareth in the ij book of kings/ who deceived holofernes. but the beauty of Judith. as it appeareth the xiij chapter of Judith. & who deceived the ij old judges which desired to have susanne. but their false byholdynges as it appeareth the iij chapter of danyel wherefore it appeareth that who that will live chastened he ought to torn his sight & regard fro women which might incline his will to sin. & therefore saith quy●●telyē in his first cause that all our lechery is cause of our folyssh beholding & regard & seneque in his book of remedies saith that the eyen been messengers of all vices. & to this purpoos recounteth valere in his fourth book/ how sometime in rome was a right fair young man named spurcyn. the which for his beauty the women desireden him to sin/ but when he apperceived the cause he cut & made his visage all foul & lothly saying that he had liefer to be foul than by his beauty he should cause other to sin by this ensample ought they to take heed that been fair & seemly More over the chastity of the ancient people is good to recount & to this purpoos saint Austyn in his first book of the city of god reciteth how mark surnamed marcel was right chaste & in deed when he took the city of Syracuse. he fond there many fair women & well arrayed. but he commanded to all his people that none should be so hardy to touch them/ For so to do it should be against th'estate of good chivalry ¶ And Valere in his fourth book recounteth how Scypyon in the age of xxiv year took the city of cartage. And there was a right fair maid which was presented to him to do with his pleasure. but he would not. For in so doing it should be shame to true chivalry And therefore he made her to be delivered to him that should be her husband which was prysonner/ and that never had touched her. and by cause of the same fair maid he forgaf him his ransom & made him free/ for certain as me seemeth this was a feat of a noble knight/ And for this cause fro then forthon he had alway the grace of the world & of all knights but thus do not now the nobles of this present tyme. the which ween they have done a fair & a great feat when they have ravished & defouled a fair maiden/ but in my judgement it is a vile & foul feat of a knight. They ought to remember of Incresse the mirror of all chastity. of whom recounteth Valere in his uj book/ How tarquyn the son of Tarquyn the proud took by force the said lucresse. & accomplished his foul will the which lucresse on the morn called to her all her friends. & recounted to them the villainy that was done to her & tofore them she slew her self. & by cause thereof Tarquyn lost his seignorye/ & thenne cessed th'emperors at rome/ for the romans saiden/ that they had no need of a lord that made such oult/ rages. well it is troth that of this sin been cause bawds both men & women/ the which estudye both night & day how they may make & treat to cause other to do as they do or have done in time passed. the which resemble to women of Dutch land of whom Valere recounteth in the book afore said. how they prayeden Marius that he would give to them leave for to go & speak to the maidens that serveden the goddess vesta/ & they made them strong to make them incline & consent to the sin of lechery. but by cause that they failed of their intent. as despaired they hinge all themself. And in truth that is the salayre that belongeth to such people.   

How lechery causeth many evils to happene capo. xij  
lechery is enemy to all virtues & to all good. & therefore saith boece in his book of consolation that he is happy that liveth without lechery/ for lechery is a sweet malady & bringeth a man to death without apperceyving as witnesseth valere in his iiij book/ which reciteth how Sophonydes in his old age said to one which demanded him if he were any thing lecherous. he answered I pray the speak to me of other things. for me seemeth that I have had great victory when I may eschew lechery by old age. for by lechery all evils comen to a creature. & all good things been thereby forgotten/ Alas what was cause of the destruction of the people of sychem. was it not the deviolation of dyna daughter of jacob the which would go see the dances & she was ravished as it appeareth in the book of genesis the xxiv chapter/ we read also how lx. M. were slain by cause of the lechery commised in the wife of the levity as it is written the xx chapter of judicum. & Amon was slain of absalon his brother by cause he had defoiled thamar his sister. as it apperi●h the ij book of kings the xj chapter. Abuer for his lechery knew the concubines of his father ysboseth/ but soon after they were both slain as it is written the ij book of kings the iij and iiij chapter. what was cause of noah's flood but lechery/ what was cause of the destruction of sodom & gomorre but unnatural lechery as it is written in the book of genesis/ who caused joseph to be imprisoned but the lechery of his mistress. & therefore he is wise that escheweth this sin. For who that will live chastened/ he ought tesche we the company of women. & consider that by women were deceived the wise solomon. the strong sampson the great holofernes. the prophet david/ the phylosophre arystotle. the poet virgil. & many other wise men. & therefore I will no more blame the women than the men. but for this I will say who will be chaste ought t'eschew the company of women. For for to sin nature is soon inclined & lightly accorded. for t'eschew fulgence enseigneth & teacheth us in the ij book of his micrologies in saying. that lechery is much foul & above other dishonest/ & is not advenaunt to a creature that will have honour & worship. And certainly Scipion the noble knight hated so much this sin/ that he deffended in h●● country bordellis & all dishonest places/ But it is great pity that now all the world is full of places of such usages/ and young and old people the mo●t part give them commonly to lechery/ but they ought to consider. this which Ovid saith in his seven book of methamorphoseos. which saith that lechery maketh a man to burn in himself. & the versyfyour saith that the love of a woman affeblyssheth the body/ minisheth the richesses/ maketh a fair man to become foul. & atte last bringeth a man to nought/ And saint Iherome in his book against jonynyan saith the love of a woman maketh a man to forget reason/ & to become a fool. it letteth and hurteth good counsel/ will not suffer a man to study/ & maketh him to think all folly. by such love a man troubleth himself. & atte last hateth his body & his life/ and seneke in his declara●ons in his first book saith. that it is an hard death/ that lechery procureth for lechery maketh to lose tyme-honour. & all goods. & therefore in his xxiv epistle to lucylle saith. keep the well. that lechery be not in thee/ for a lecherous man is as a thing all lost/ & certainly in old time the lecherous people were greatly pugnyss●xd/ For as reciteth valere in his uj book. a man that of old time mysdyde in his manage ought to lose his eyen/ & after the old law a woman should be stoned to death. wherefore it appeareth that this sin was right dysplaysaunt unto them of ancient time/ for of it cometh many evils and harms as it is tofore said.   

¶ Here followeth the v virtue. that is to weet benevolence and is against the sin of envy capitulo xiij  
among all other sins the lest excusable is the sin of envy. by cause she hath no cause of her malice in so much the body and of the soul/ and the man is not worthy to live the which by negligence sleepeth in his sin & dieth in poverty. for not withstanding that poverty is good when it is 〈◊〉 luntarye. Nevertheless he is moche to be reproved. the which by his sloth & negligence is pour and miserable. by which it appeareth that diligence is moche to be praised that remembreth both the body and the soul. and therefore saith the prophet I have slept. & after I am awaked. by which he giveth us to understand how we ought to be diligent. & awake ourself for to profit in weal. And therefore the apostle in writing to Thimothee saith. Awake thy s●lf that sleepest. & god shall enlnmyne the with his grace. For for the slepars & them that been necligent is not heaven ordained. but for them that been diligent for to do well as long as they live in this present world. And to this diligence ought much 〈◊〉 us many ancient histories/ by the which it appeareth how negligence hath be cause of many evils & Inconuements: Rede we not how david was in his house idle: and then he was tempted of the sin of lechery/ in so much that he accomplished a right g●te dishonour. as it appeareth the ij book of kings the v chapy●re/ and therefore saith Ovid in his first book of remedy that idleness & negligence been the nou●ces of the sin of lechery: And quyntylien saith that sin naturally commandeth a man to be idle. And therefore Chaton said reasonably to his son/ keep the well that thou be not negligent ne slepye/ For long rest nourisheth sin & vices. And to this purpoos we have many ●ystoryes. how in sleeping many evils been happened/ Rede we not how Thobie in sleeping wa● blind & lost his sight/ as it appeareth the second chapiter of Thobye/ ysboseth lost his priam in sleeping as it appeareth the ij book of kings the iiij chapter. Samson in sleeping in the law of his wife lost his hairs. taken & enchained. and finably lost his life. as it appeareth the xuj chapter of judicum ¶ And therefore saith the wise man in his uj chapter. Thou negligent awake the. for thou mayst not long sleep. as who said/ the life is short/ And therefore we read how jacob reproved his children of negligence. as it appeareth the xxiv chapiter of genesis. And our saviour Ihesu cryst reproved his disciples of negligence in saying/ ye have not mow wake an hour with me as saith saint Matthew in his xxviij chapter by which it appeareth how negligence is moche to be reproved To this purpoos we read how they that sew the good seed by gonnen to sleep. And then came the enemy that sew the evil seed. that is to say the cockyl as saith Saint Matthew in his xiij chapter. by which is given to us for to understand that we ought to wake if we will profit in our good works/ the which been understanden by the good seed. For as the gospel of saint Matthew saith in his xv chapter. the v maidens that slept were not received in to heaven. But the five that waked were received in. by which it appeareth that we ought to wake/ that is to weet to intend to good works & to do well. for verily they sleep/ the which without repentance abide still in their sin. Ne read we not how the Natu●ēs say that the venom of a serpent named Aspyde is of such condition. that he maketh the man that drinketh it to sleep. and in sleeping to die/ Of such condition is the sin of negligence/ for it maketh a man to sleep by negligence/ and in sleeping is man oft dampened. For by default of a man well to advise himself. oft-times he dieth right evilly/ To this purposes saith Ovid in his first book of Methamorphoseos how Argus had an. C. eyen. And nevertheless mercury by the sown of his floyte brought him a sleep & thenne in sleeping made a cow to be taken fro him named yo. the which jupiter had delivered to him in keeping. and by cause of his negligence. Argus tofore said was slain & lost. Semblably there be many that have an hundred eyen. for they see right clear & have good wit and understanding/ And nevertheless mercury. that is to say the world oft bringeth them a sleep And thenue their cow. that is to say their flesh is lost/ by which finably man is right oft dampened & dieth miserably. but some may say that they should be diligent if they were waked & solicyted for to do well. To this purpoos I answer that there is no sinner so great but if he be all obstinate. but that he hath sometime remorse of conscience that waketh him and admonesteth for to rise fro sin. And to this thou hast experience sometime in thyself/ when reason causeth the sometime to sigh and to have displeasure of thine evil life. Thenne thy conscience juggeth the & damneth the. when thou sayest alas I have done & commised such evil and such sin/ it despleaseth me thus me seemeth that this conscience that thus awaketh us may be likened to the mustelle/ of wh●m recounteth the naturyens. that if a man sleep in a shadow place. in which there be a serpent. then the mustelle awaketh the man to the end that the serpent hurt him not ne grieve him Thus doth reason and conscience which oft awaketh us. But many there be the which abide not in a good purposes or in a good thought when their conscience hath awaked them the which done as did Vyrgyle. the which slew the Fly that pricked him in his forehead and a work him by his pry king/ And nevertheless virgil had be slain of the serpent which was by him if he had not beu waked. And thenne it dysplaysed him of that which he had slain the fly. that had done to him so much good. By which it appeareth that the good thoughts which a wake & stir us to do well. we ought not to slay ne forget them. but we ought diligently to awake to do well for t'eschew the peril of the serpent. that is to were of the fiend our enemy which always purchaseth our death/   

Here followeth the seven virtue the which is liberality. & that is against the sin of avarice capitulo xv  
Lyberalyte is the moyen for to get friends for to live in good suffisance. For the light lasseth not. by cause it lighteth over all the house. ¶ In like wise the goods of a liberal man lassen not by that which many have part thereof/ And this witnesseth dydymus in writing to Alysaundre. the which Alysaunder gate many royalmes more by liberality than by strength/ And to this purpoos saith boece in his jj book of consolation/ that the goods been happy. the which done good to much people. And cassyodore in his xiv epistle saith that a man ought gladly to give. For liberality causeth not the good to be lass/ For not withstanding that a man have the lass for the time or while/ Nevertheless that lass sufficeth him as well as the more. or else he were not liberal. and sith that a man hath suffisance after the yefte as afore. it followeth that he is as rich as afore well is truth that many say that they be liberal. the which been not/ for suppose that they give. Nevertheless it is sometime foolily and oultragyously. and outrage ought not to be approved. Thenne liberal sufficeth not only to give. but him behooveth by reason & wisely to distribute his goods. And this witnesseth chaton saying to his son/ take heed & see to whom thou givest. & not only to whom but also thou oughtest to behold how moche/ when and how. And to this purpoos speaketh tulle in his first book of offices in saying. that a man ought to give to him that hath need without hope of vainglory or having any other benefayt/ And the yevar ought to take heed if he be worthy to whom he giveth/ as enseyneth macrobe in his book of satur ●elles. but commonly men give to them that be not worthy & to them that have no need. As witnesseth Terence & martial. but they that so done/ in so doing have no merytr ●e grace toward god/ So every man ought to be advised that will verily be large & liberal. & behold the manner of giving and the circumstances. And singularly if his yefte ought to be agreeable to god/ him behooveth that his largesse come of a parfyght heart. For as varoo saith in his sentences the yefte is more agreeable after thaffeccyon of the yevar than after the greatness of the yefte. And hereof we have an example in the gospel of saint Luc. And also Saint Iherome reciteth in the prologue of the bible saying. that more was acceptable toward god th'offering of the pour widow which offered but a ferthing. than was the yefte of the rich king cresus which was right rich and king of Lyde. the which offered great yefts and many marks of gold and sylner/ & the reason was this. for the pour woman presented hiryefte by more great devotion than did the said king/ Seen that she gaf all that she had. but the king aforesaid after his yefte abode rich and mighty. By which it appeareth that more doth good affection. than doth the greatness of the oblation. More over we read how many by lybecalyte have go●●u great renomee and great signory. And to this purposes saith the history of Alexander/ that Alexander conquered many wyames more by his franchise and liberality/ than he did by his strength. And was so much liberal/ that the servants of his enemies came for to dwell with him. and left their lords & their kings for to serve him. Semblably we re●e of Solomon how he was right liberal as it appeareth the iij book of kings the second chapter. Semblably the king Cyros was much liberal. For he sent again in to Iherusalem she vessels of gold the which his father Nabugodonor had taken a way as reciteth Esdras in his first book. ¶ we read also how Thobye offered much largely to th'angel Raphael of his good/ whom he had supposed to have been a man as it appeareth the xij chapter of Thobye. ¶ Also we read how the king Assuere was right liberal. when he gave half his wyame to hester. as it appeareth the fifth chapter of the book of hester/ By the which histories it appeareth how many sometime were right renowned for their liberality. But Avarice hath made many men to be defamed & fall in to many In●●uenyēts/ as shall be showed in the chapter that followeth/   

¶ How Avarice bringeth a man to an evil haven/ & causeth him to live in misery capitulo xuj  
BY Avarice a man coveteth the goods of another. And oft-times appropreth them to himself rudely. and he himself of such goods as he hath dare not help himself for all way he is afeard that his good shall fail him. And thus thavaricious man liveth all way in misery. for suppose that he hath much good/ nevertheless he is right pour. sith by his covetise he will not there with help himself/ ¶ Thus then ought the wise man esche we covetise. Cain offered to god the wert fruits of th'earth. & therefore his oblation was not agreeable to god. And then seeing Chaym that thoblation of Abel his brother was agreeable to god. by cause whereof he was moved with wrath & envy & slew his brother afore said as it appeareth in the book of genesis. by avarice judas betrayed his lord and our saviour Ihesu christ and finably despaired & hinge himself. More over dalida by cause of covetise & for money that was given to her bytrayed her poop●e husoond Samson/ And nevertheless she showed tofore to sampson signs of right great love as it appeareth the xviij chapter of Judicum. By the which histories it appeareth how Avarice bringeth a man oft to perdition. O covetise thou madest strife between Abraham & Loth as recounteth the book of genesis/ for by cause of their richesses they might not dwell to guider/ By avarice the children of Samuel maden many evil judgements as it appeareth the first book of kings. who causeth falsely to witness against Naboth but covetise as it appeareth the third book of kings/ who was cause of the falls witness of the knights that kept the sepulchre/ but covetise For by cause of certain money that they had. they witnessed falsely saying that the disciples of Ihesu christ had stolen away the body of Ihesu christ. As witnesseth saint Matthew in his xxviij chapter/ who caused Anchor to die but courtyse as it appeareth the seven chapter of joshua. wherefore would david have slain nabal/ but by cause that Nabal was over avaricious as it appeareth in the first book of kings the v chapter. wherefore was Semey condemned to death. but for his covetise that he did depart fro Iherusalem against the commandment of his father/ as it is written in the iij book of kings the ij chapter. & the evil rich man wherefore was he dampened but for his avarice. for he refused to pour Lazare the crumbs of his breed as receyteth saint Luke in his xuj chapter. Certainly avarice hath caused many men to perish & consent to many sins & Inconuenyents/ for menelaus unworthy. was by money purveyed to be priest of the law as it appeareth in the ij look of machabees the v chapter/ & the priests of the law sometime for their covetise suffreden & endureden to sell oxen & sheep in the temple & other merchandises/ as reciteth saint Matthew in his xiij chapter. we read also how Ananye & saphire fell in to many inconvenients by cause of their covetise. as it appeareth the v chapter of th'acts of the apostles. Thenne me seemeth that every man that will live holily ought to have suffisance of the goods that god hath sent to him without to set his heart on worldly goods. For as saluste saith in his Catylynarye/ Avarice empessheth truth & wisdom. and engendereth pride and cruelty. Avarice empess●eth good study. and bringeth a man in to vanytres/ and goods which be not established/ And to this purposes saith Seneque in his epystylle to Lucylle lxxiij. Avarice maketh a man a fool. For a man covetous always desireth that. which be hath not. and that which he hath/ he woteth not if it be his. For he is always afeard to lose it. and that good shall fail him. And therefore valere in his 〈◊〉 book saith. that Avarice is as a swolo we that may not be filled and maketh many men to die tuyl/ And in deed he recounteth how there was a man named septiminus seeing that he was in paryll if the see but if he threw over board part of his richesse in to the see/ nevertheless he had liefer die with his richesses than cast a part a way/ and live & retain the remanant/ By which it showeth that covetise maketh a man right foolish & not understanding wisdom. for a covetous man oft times taketh opinion that he had liefer die than lose his good. And to this purpoos recounteth Helmande how sometime Hanybal assyeged a castle in which were three hundred men closed which had nothing to eat but rats & myes. and it happened that one among them being much avaricious took a mouse. and not withstanding that he was ny●e deed for hunger/ he sold to another the mows for. CC. pens by which it happened that the said avaricious man died with all his money. and that other lived & was delivered fro death/ Thenne aught a man to advise and consider that the goods be not made ne ordained but for to serve man/ And therefore he ought not to love/ but for so moche as he hath vecessyte or need/ and then he ought to use them soberly in thanking god which is of all goods the well and fountain.   

How thestate of poverty is much agreeable to god cap ●. xvij  
poverty is none other thing but very suffisance with out to desire any other thing than that which god sendeth to a creature/ And this poverty is called poverty of spirit. the which god approveth in the gospel saying/ that blessed be they that be pour of spirit that is to weet to will. And me seemeth after the scriptures/ the ancient faders had poverty/ And singularly they that were loved of god and called to good and worship ¶ Rede we not how jacob was a pastor or a shepherd and kept the sheep & going about the country. and slept in the fields and laid a stone under his heed like a pillow as it appeareth the xxxviij chapter of genesis. ¶ Semblably we read that Moses kept the sheep of a man named jethro as it appeareth the third chapter of exode. & nevertheless was after ordained to be governor of the people. we read also how saul was content to have one servant and sought the asses of his father/ & not the horses for to ride on. And nevertheless he was ordained king as it appeareth the first book of kings the xxiv chapiter. & of david semblably we read how he kept the pastures. when he was called for to be king. as it is red the first book of kings the xuj chapter. by which histories it appeareth clearly how thestate of poverty is to god agreeable/ and in deed Ihesu christ hath given to us of poverty example. For he was born of a pour mother and nourished of a power man. that is to weet of joseph. laid in a power bed/ wrapped with pour clouts and clothes/ of pour parents offered in to the temple/ naked crucified. and by strangers buried and l●yd in the sepulchre/ by the which things Ihesu christ showeth to us. that no man ought despise poverty. for Ihesu christ saith in the gospel that who that will be parfyght. he ought to renounce all worldly goods. and give them to the pour people and follow me as reciteth Saint Matthew in his xvij chapter. and to this purpoos we re●e how th'ancient philosophers saiden. that more rich is the power man if he have suffisance/ than ne is he that is covetous though he have great habondance of goods And the same witnesseth seneque in saying. that dyogenes was more rich which had no worldly goods/ than Alysaunder which was lord of all the world for alysaunder had not so much good that he might give. As dyogenes might and would refuse. Of which Dyogenes Ualerius reciteth in his fourth book. how he refused the yefts which Dyonyse the Tyrant sent him/ And it happened that Dyogenes on a time washed his herbs that he should put in his pot and eat. And that seeing Aristippus. which tofore had been his fellow and said unto him in this manner. ¶ O Dyogenes if thou wouldest flatter Denys/ thou shouldest not be in this poverty. And then Dyogenes ansnerd to him if thou wouldest endure the poverty that I endure. and eat & pike thy wortes as I do. thou shouldest not be a flatterer as thou art. Of the same diogenes recounteth saint Jerome in his book against Ionynyen how for all robes. he had but a little mantle lined for tesche we cold. And in stead of a celyer/ he had but a little sachet/ And in stead of an horse he had a staff or a burden. And was lodged in a ton at the gate of the city/ the which ton after the wind it turned for to eschew cold. And on a time he seeing a child that drank water in his hand/ and he threw a way a little cup that he had/ in saying that him ought to suffice for to drink out of the vessel that nature had given to him/ that is to weet his hand/ By which it appeareth that spiritual poverty/ and very suffisance were sometime in the wise men. as was dyogenes and many other. And to this purpoos we read how Epicurius the phylosophre said that there is no thing so much worth as joyous poverty. And Orace in his epistles saith. In poverty ought not to be displeasance. sith a man have suffisance for his life For none other thing may all the goods of the world give to a man. And therefore saith Cathon to his son/ seen that nature hath made the naked. thou oughtest gladly and with a good will endure poverty & flee outrage. For nature shall not fail the in thy necessity/ And thou shalt be rich. if thou hast suffisance/ as witnesseth geoffrey in his poetry & many other. More over the wise man ought to consider and advise that no thing is worth to a man outrage ne overmuch abundance. Is not Anthiochus deed and comen to nought of whom recouteth valerye in his ix book how well he bring king of Surrye he made his horses to be arrayed and adoubed with gold/ And them to be shoed with nails of gold/ And in his kechyne all the vessels were of gold and silver. but all he lost sorrow wfully/ For he desired to take away fro his people more. than to do justice/ ¶ what is become of the po●npe of the wife of Neron which made her horses semblably to be shoed with gold/ & made chariots to be led tofore it full of gold & silver. Certainly all is comen to nought. & the rich men so much more miserably been comen to their death as they loved more curyously their richesses. & therefore recountith dydymus. how the people of his country lived pourely and without curiosity/ for vanity maketh men to perish & to forget god which is cause of all goods. & like as the O●● faunt is deceived when he trusteth to the tree to which he leaneth. Right so the rich people be deceived when they trust ● their richesses. for when the day cometh of their most gret● necessity. Nothing avail them their richesses for to have ●● ven/ and to that availeth poverty & suffisance/ Alas it were good to consider how fortune hath no certain abiding. for as saith julius celsus in his iiij book. Fortune hath enhanced many men to richesses. for to overthrow them villainously. And to this purpoos hildebert in speaking of his banishment said. I was that other day rich and blessed of friends. but fortune which had given all to me/ hath taken all fr● me. & she that laughed on me. now constraineth me to weep and Ovid in his book de tristibus saith. I was a little whytryche & honoured/ and now I am without cause bamnysshed b● dishonour. Thus I see that fortune hath no sure amity n friendship/ & therefore saith boece in his second book of consolaon that more availeth fortune adverse which chastiseth man. than doth worldly fortune the which blindeth a man maynt●neth him in his sin. for who that is pour he ma not fall. but the rich man is in peril for to fall in to gre● sro w. & if thou wilt wite what is she/ boece saith that ● greatest mal●rete that is. is after great happiness to fall in misery and wretchedness/ as did al●biades. the which wfyrst right rich. & after right unhappy as valere saith in ● uj book/ Semblably he recounteth how denys Syracusan 〈◊〉 right rich & a right great lord. but finably he became so po● that for to get his living. he taught the lesson and held so 〈◊〉 children of Corinth●e. Thus thenne he is right e● advised that in fortune trusteth. But a man ought to affy himself in well doing/ For that is the richesse that helpeth a man in his necessity. But presently mankind is so blinded that he retcheth of no thing but of worldly goods. the which ●●ght to take example of the ancient wise men. of whom we read that they set nothing of worldly goods or little. & this purpoos recounteth valerye in his viij book how anax●goras left his possessions for to go estudye in strange con●●es/ & when he returned he saw that his possessions were eserted/ thenne he said. I might not have been saved if my posessions had not perished. as who would say that richesses been against salvation. Semblably he recounteth of a philosopher na●ed socrates/ the which threw all his richesses in the see. in ●yeng that he had liefer that his richesses were lost than he ●hold lose himself/ Semblably he recounteth of a wise man na●ed styllon the which lost all his goods by fire. & thenne one ●maunded him. if he were not angry & wroth for the loss of ●is goods. the which answered that he had nothing lost. & that ●● had upon him all his goods. that is to we●e science & ver●es/ as if he said that the goods of fortune were not his. ●y which it appeareth that he is wise that despiseth the goods of fortune. as witnesseth Epedocles/ And prosper in his ●ok named Epigramaton saith that the courage of a coue●●us man shall never have rest. for the worldly goods may ●●t satisfy their heart/ but engendereth and maketh more the ●●uetyse and the desire of the creature & to this purpoos recoū●●h Ovid/ how polydorus by his covetise slew the son of ●amus for to have the richesses that were delivered him for ●●ouerne therewith the child aforesaid. but hecuba mother of 〈◊〉 ●ayd son with her complices apperceived the said trayson 〈◊〉 came to polidorus in feigning that they would give him 〈◊〉. but hecuba & her fellows slew him & strangled him 〈◊〉 was reason that covetise that had made him to slay 〈◊〉 should be cause & moyen of his death. whereby it 〈◊〉 how poverty is good/ and covetise evil and holdeth a man in thought and in peril of heart and of conscience.   
¶ Thus endeth the first book   

¶ Here followeth the second book the which speaketh of thestate of the people of the church and of the clerks.  

¶ first how the church ought to be honoured and loved. & had in worship and in reverence capitulo primo  
THe church is as the mother of all christian people. & in the same is given franchise and liberty/ by cause it should be the more in reverence/ For her spouse and heed is Jesus christ saviour of all the world/ & to this purpoos we read in the first book of th'history tripartyte/ how Costantyn when he was made christian loved so moche god & the church/ that he did do ●ere in all the places where he went a tabernacle made in the form of a church/ and had with him priests and clerks which served god right devoutly/ he bare also on his right side the sign of the cross. for that was the banner by the which god sent him victory. & in deed he should have a battle & in his sleep the angel showed to him how he should have victory by the sign of the cross. Semblably we read in the book aforesaid how th'emperor theodosi● was finably obeyssant to the church. Not withstanding he had be tofore much rigorous to the church. & th'history saith how the said theodosius did do slay seven. M. men in the city of thessalonue. by caus● they had stoned to death his offy●ers. After which feat the said theodosius returned to melan/ weny●g to have entered as 〈◊〉 been accnstomed in to the church/ ¶ Thenne saint Ambrose came against him which was archbishop of the san● place. and said to him. O Emperor go thy way. Fo● in to this church thou shalt not enter/ seen that thou art 〈◊〉 of blood/ and art not worthy for to behold god ne see him ¶ then Theodosius obeyed him and weeping departed but by cause the ●este of christmas approached he sent one of his servants named ruffian to saint Ambrose for to get grace. But nothing availed his request. And this seeing Theodosius came in his proper person to say●t Ambrose weeping & requiring pardon on his knees. & then saint Ambrose took him to grace. & after he did much good and had many victories. by which it appeareth how the church ought to be honoured/ And to this purpoos recounteth valere in his iij book the xj chapter. How julius Cezar defended to his people. that none should be so hardy to do any evil or harm to the temples/ And for this cause he was so victorious by ij year that never man had victory against him/ But after he was many times dyscomfyt after he had defoilled the temple named delphyque. As recounteth Policrate in his uj book the seven chapter. And he saith more over that chivalry ought to keep the church. to Inpugne the heretics. to honour the priests/ to defend the power. and tappease strife and debates/ Semblably Egesippus recounteth how pompeus did never harm to temples ne to churches/ and therefore alexander was to him much gracious. & pardonned to him his mesprisyon/ by which it is evidently showed to us how the church ought to be kept and hononred/ And to this purpoos saith vegece in his iiij book of chivalry the iiij chapter. how the knights ought to swear loyalty. first to god. secondly to their prince More over thou oughtest to know that the church ought to 〈◊〉 fraunchysed/ For it is sygured by the ark of Noah. in which ●ere saved all they that were therein as it appeareth the seventh ●hapytre of genesis. Semblably all aught to be free in the ●hyrche/ And in deed we read in the histories of the romans ●at one named macelizet died a foul death by cause he had de●●yled the church. we read also of one named Equyla how he destroyed all italy▪ And thenne the pope named Leon said ●hym that he should leave his cruelty. The which answered that ●ym seemed that he saw a fair old man which held in his hand a knife whereof he was sore afeard & durst not dysobe● And this signifieth to us. how every creature ought to dre● the church and to obey it in all right and reason.   

¶ How the people of the church and singularly the prelate's ought to live chastened and virtuously capitulo ●  
Saint Jerome in one of his epistles saith that the prelate ought to have no concubine: For his espouse is the church. And therefore in the law of Canon. it is deffended that prelate's should hold no women in their houses. but if they be under age & out of all suspicion. And to this purpoos we read of saint austin/ how he would not dwell with his owen sister. for tesche we suspicion of evil speaking. More our● saint Gregory in his dialogue the seven chapter reciteth 〈◊〉 a prelate named Audrien was much tempted with a woman of religion by cause she dwelled with him. By which it appeareth that men of the church ought to flee the conuers●● on of women/ not only for tesche we the sin/ but also for tesche we all evil suspicion▪ and therefore saith saint Iherome in his xliij epistle. that thestate of prelation is much worthy And for so much a prelate aught more to keep him. that h● do no thing by which his estate be slandered/ & the prelate is not ordained for to have delyces/ but also for tenseyne and govern the people/ and the higher that he is enhanced the mo● humble he ought to be. For as saint Austyn saith in his 〈◊〉 book of the city of god the nineteen chapter. he is not very prelal that secheth not but his profit. and nothing for his sub●gettis. Semblably saith saint Gregory in his xxj book 〈◊〉 hy● morals that the prelate's been ordained not only for 〈◊〉 receive. but prycipally for to serve god. and for to incline th● sub gets semblably to do/ & therefore saith Hugh/ that non● ought be ordained a prelate. but if he be of good life & honest conversation. and to this purpoos saith the scripture in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 xxviij chapter/ that the prelate's ought to be made of people showing example of good life/ For the sheep ought not to ●e put to the keeping of wolves. That is to were to them that ●●maunde not but the profit of the prelation. and not the la●our tha● appertaineth thereto. but the time is comen the which isaiah prophesied in his third chapter/ saying that the prince and the princes and the prelate's been of the condition of children. the which will lyven without thought. And zachary in his xj chapter saith that the prelate that thinketh not of the governance of the people is right as an idol which serveth of nothing/ And it is a great abusion when the prelate is not diligent to address and teach the people as it appeareth ●n the book of xij abusious. and Hugh saith in his book of sacramentis. that the prelate's bearen the couch in signefyaunce of an herdman or pastor. And the ring that he hath on his hand signifieth that the church is their espouse/ & the tunyque signifieth cleanness/ the girdle chastity. the stole patience. and the chesuble charity/ and therefore the prelate's oughten to be good wise & virtuous. & that is necessary for their estate/ as saith saint gregory in his pastoral the first book the first chapter. But saint bernard in speaking of prelate's in his fourth book to Eugene the pope. saith I marvel me and am abashed for what cause many bishops and prelate's commit the go●ernement of their people to suffragans and to other/ but the ●ychesses & receipts they commit not to other so that they kno●e not thaccount thereof. And nevertheless they be more ordained for the spiritual governance. than they be for the temporal ●oodes▪ as Hugh saith in the second book of the sacramentis/ For the crown that men of the church bear signifieth that xy ought to have the heart & affection to the spiritualty/ & not 〈◊〉 the temporalty/ And therefore of old time the virtuous men ●ffuseden the bishoprics. by cause they knew well that it 〈◊〉 great labour to a prelate for to do his devoir & duty. And 〈◊〉 this purpoos we read of saint Ambrose how he refused the archebysshopryche of Melan/ Not withstanding he was ele● by common assent. and to th'end that he should not be constrained to receive the said benefice. he did do come in to his house women dissolute/ weening by that moyen. he to be put fro● the said prelation/ Nevertheless the truth was known. and he must needs obey. of saint gregoire we read also▪ that when he was chosen to be pope. he fled. but by the moyen of the holy ghost he was founden and received to be pope▪ Semblably we read in a book named paradies how a noble man named marsius cut of his fist to the end that he would not be prelate. to which he was chosen/ we read also of an holy man named Annonius how he was chosen bishop/ and therefore he cut of his right ere secretly. and then he said to them that had chosen him. ye see well that I may not be bishop/ For I am not able. the which answered that he sufficed to them. and they had liefer to have a good man than a fair man. More over in th'history trypertyte the iij book we read of a religious monk which was chosen & called for to be bishop. the which demanded delay & time for taduyse him. and prayed to god & required him that he would allege & deliver him fro this charge. And th'history saith that in praying he died & rendered to god his spirit/ By the which histories it appeareth how prelation is much painful to them that will do their 〈◊〉. And therefore no man ought to be a prelate. but if he be wise. virtuous/ and of right good manners and life/   

¶ How the prelate's ought tenseyne & govern their subjects. and to give almesses to the pour capitulo iij  
THe prelate is as the heed which ought to address the other membres. And to this purpoos we read of moyses ●●w he loved right dearly his people. and did great pain to chastise & rule them. And how be it that god promised to him that he should give to him more greater people to govern. Nevertheless he said that it sufficed him that which he had And more would he not as it appeareth the xxxiij chapter of Exode/ we read also that for the love that he had to his people. he desired that every man should be holy and a prophet as it appeareth the xj chapter of the book of Numeri. we read also how he recomforted the people when he was discouraged in saying. Abasshe ne fere you not for god shall defend you/ as it is written in exode the xiv chapiter. Semblably helyachym sometime priest of the law recomforted the people against holofernes. as it is written in Judith the iiij chapter/ ¶ Saint paul also in his epistle to thephesians the uj chapiter saith. my friends reconforte you in god and in his puyssawce. By the which things it appeareth how the prelate's ought tenseyne & recomfort the people/ To this purpoos saith saint austin in his i● book of the city of god. that the prelate ought to remember allway his people at his heart. For his office is for to induce 'em to do well. And saint Ambrose saith in his pastorals that the prelate ought tesche we all heresy and all evil doctrine/ For the principal of their vocation is for to defend the faith in the which all the church is founded/ More over the prelate ought to succour the power after his puissance/ for the goods of the church be the goods of the pour people. And to this purpoos Saint gregory writing to Nepocian saith that the people of the church ought not to take of their benefices no more but to live only honestly without pomp ne curyosytres/ And the surplus they ought to distribute there. where as they see is need and necessity. and if they do otherwise they do sacrilege. that is to say they be thieves of the goods of the church/ And that more is he saith. that he that hath of his patrimony enough for to live with▪ he ought to take nothing of the goods of the church. and if he take otherwise it is sacrilege. And for so moche saint austin in one of his sermons in the hermits in speaking of himself saith▪ I that am bishop ought well to take heed that the goods of the church 〈◊〉 not given to them that been rich. For it is the patrimony of the pour people. And I thank god of that he hath given me grace till now/ not to give any thing to the rich. but only to the power. And in deed I have parents and kinsmen which oft demand of me/ the sum by flattery. the other by menaces the goods of my church. but I shall have conscience in giving to them/ sith they have whereof to live. By which it appeareth that the prelate's ought to give to the power & hereof we have example of Heliseus the prophet. the which did do distribute the loves of breed to the children of the prophets as it is written in the fourth book of kings the fourth chapter. And of Saint Austyn himself we read how at his death he made no testament/ by cause by his life he had given all to the pour people.   

How the people of the church oughten to preach and to say the truth of the faith capitulo iiij  
By predication the church is sustained and the faith enhanced and the people converted/ And hereof we have many examples. how of Aawn the which preached sometime to the people the word of god. And therefore the people believed in god and put them to serve god as it is written in Exode the iiij chapter. Semblably we read in the book of the acts of thappostles the fourth chapter how the church was multiplied & made great by the predication of th appostles. & in deed Saint Paul & saint bernabe by their predication converted many as it appeareth in the said book the xiij chapter/ And therefore the people of the church/ and singularly the religious aught to preach the truth/ And to this purpoos we read in the second book of th'history tripartyte the viij chapter/ how a good man by his predication converted many mescreaunts to whom he said▪ my friends be ye not curious of worldly so●n●es and human/ the which contain but fallaces and ●auytees but have ye heart to the faith and to the holy gospel the which containeth nothing but truth. But thou shalt say. that thou art no clerk for to preach▪ To that I answer to the & say that if thou art good in thine affection. the holy ghost shall administer to the good words & profitable. And to this purpoos we read in the book aforesaid how sometime a right great philosopher which was a mescreant disputed against our faith. And that seeing an old good man which knew no ●ettre came to him for to convert him/ And the holy ghost administered to him such words that he converted to the faith the said philosopher. And therefore saith the scripture that the word of the preacher of verity & truth: is the word of the holy ghost. Truth it is that the predication is much profitable when the preacher is of good life as saith saint Gregory in his morallis in the thirty book. And if the p●●dycaciou profiteth nothing. it is for the default of the preacher which is of evil life▪ or of the herar which hath none affection. Nevertheless as saith Ihesu Cryst in the gospel. the word of god ought to be preached. For it may not be all lost like as the seed which is thrown in the way/ the which if it bring forth no fruit. at lest the birds of heaven e●● it who caused the city of Nynyue to be converted but the predication of jonas the prophet. as it appeareth in the third chapter of jonas. who converted ind but the predication of saint Thomas/ who converted samary but the predication of Saint Phylippe. But some there be like unto the jews which stopped their ●rys when saint Stephen preached/ and other mocked Saint Paul when he preached as it appeareth in the book of the acts of th appostles. They be of the condition of the serpent the which is named aspis/ the which stoppeth his ears to th'end that he may here nothing/ And who that drinketh of his venom he sleepeth and so sleeping dieth. Many in like wise which will not here truth die in their sy●●e without having ●uy repentance. More over me seemeth that many been angry when in preaching their sins been reproved And then they ween that men speak of them singularly. the which otherwhile been deceived/ For the holy ghost admynystreth oft to the prechours many things which they have not thought tofore/ And to this purpoos reciteth saint Austyn in his uj book of confessions. how on a time he preached/ And to his sermon came by adventure one named Alippius the which was a player of dice and moche inclined to vain occupations. then Saint Austyn began to preach against such vanytres'/ & that seeing Alippius he supposed that Saint Austyn had spoken of him only. And after the sermon he demanded of saint Austyn wherefore he had so spoken against him. the which answered. that the holy ghost had done it. for he knew not ne wist not that he was such one/ And the●ne the said Alippius repented him and left all vanytres/ ¶ Semblably also saint austin by such a manner converted a manichean by the words that he said at the table. by which it appeareth. how it is much profitable to here the truth and preaching of the word of god.   

¶ How men of the church ought to estudye and to learn singularly the holy scripture capitulo v  
FOr to estudye is a thing much profitable and covenable to men of the church. And Aristippus answered to one which demanded what it availed to study. That a man by his estudye lived the more surely. and could the better eschew many Inconuenyencis/ And therefore Boece in his book of the discipline of soolers saith/ that no man may become a master/ but if he have science & virtues/ & for that cause the ancient men allway studied. as recounteth valere in his viij book the seven chapter. & in deed thou mayst see how a man being clerk is much eased in estudyeng being alone For he wot well wherein he may occupy himself/ But the ignorant that can not understand what he readeth/ wot not what to do. but if he be in company to here vanities and lewd languages as men ignorant. the which repute themself half lost if they find not such as they may speak to and hold them fel● wshyp at all times. But a clerk that can she die is right joyous & at his ease when he is solitary and out of such company that been idle & ignorant/ & therefore a man ought to learn some thing & singularly in his youth for the rod boweth while it is green. And certain a man hath gladly pleasure in such things as he hath been accustomed in his youth: Truth it is that thou oughtest principally and first estudye in holy scripture & in that which is necessary to thy salvation. For as saith Saint Austyn in the second book de doctrina xpiana. all the good & we'll that is in other sciences. shall one find first & principally in diviny be or theology/ which is the mother of all wit and of all knowledge/ And therefore thou oughtest to despise all sciences which been contrary to holy scripture. For as averrois saith upon the third book of methaphisyque. They that been accustomed to here & to learn fables been much inclined to learn fall senes for truth. & they ween that there is nothing but that in which they be nourished. And I am much abashed of many! folk of the church/ the which been idle and lerue nothing. For which cause they be founden in many Inconnenyences. For a man naturally would be occupied/ & when he knoweth not what to do by cause of ignorance/ thenne he employeth him in plays dysordynat & in many sins. & all this cometh oft-times by cause of ignorance. More over a man ought to be well advised that the understanding which is given to him to employ it well/ by which he knoweth the difference between him & beeflys. be not evil bestowed re-employed. Thenne it is a great shame when a man that may amend him/ nourisheth him in ignorance. and maintaineth him as a brute be'st Thou mayst say to me that all may not 〈◊〉 derkes/ And to that I ausuere the. that they which eusie●● the life Actyf/ may by that manner escuse them/ But as to men of the chyrhe. me seemeth that they may not well excuse them/ For they have time and season enough for to estudye and to get cunning and science. And if they employed the time for to study/ the which they employ in vanytres. they should be clerks And should have more joy and playfir in their estudye/ than they have in vanities/ the which they maintain/ And of this matter/ thou mayst see the first book/ m which thou shalt find many things which been to this same purpoos/    

¶ Hr●e followeth the iij book the which speaketh of the stat● of lords temporal/ and of all chivalry/  

¶ The first chapter treateth how princes oughten to be pietous and merciful capo. ●mo  
APrynce wythont pity putteth his signory in peril/ And doth not as a natural lord/ but as a cruel tyrannt/ And he ought to remember the condi●●nn of th'ancient princes/ For we read how pity ma●●th kings and princes to live in surety/ And to this purpose reciteth valere in his fifth book how Marcelli●us took the city of Syracuse. But when he saw how the prisoners wept he began to weep. Semblably we read in the same book/ how Cezar seeing the heed of his enemy mortal Pompeus. he was much sorry. And had great pity. we read also how Cezar seeing that Cathon his adversary had slain himself. he was therefore moth troubled. And in deed he gave to his thyldernalle the goods of their father Cathon. and loved them And defended them right diligeutly. More our. valere recounteth in the ●●ke aforesaid the v chapter how pompens died to the king of armeny the which was his enemy/ and desmyssed of his estate. But when he saw that the said king was much sorrowful thenne he had great pity of him in so much that he remised him in to his first estate And crowned him in restoring to him all his Royame's/ by the which histories it appeareth how the princes oughten to be piteous. For as ysydore saith in his iij book de summo bono/ The judge that is vengeable. is not wortly to judge ne to have seygnorie. And to this purpoos recounteth seneke in his first took of ire. how sometime a judge by his cruelty caused three knights to die which were Innocentes. And th'history saith how to one of these three knights he said/ thou shalt die by cause thou hast not brought thy fellow with the. For I doubt that thou haste slain him. Then he commanded to one of his knights/ that he should wrthout tarrying put that knight to death. but anon after came the fellow of the same knight that was dampened. And thenne returned the knight which was commanded tosle the said knight and said to the prince that he should revoke his sentence. who as a tyrannt answered. that all 〈◊〉 should be deed/ For he said that the first should die by cause 〈◊〉 was dampened once to the death. & that he ought not to change his sentence. And to the second knight he said/ that he should also die by cause he was cause of the damnation of his fellow/ And to the third he said that he should die. by cause he had not prestly put the first knight to death like as he had commanded/ And me seemeth by this history it appeareth that cruelty is to a prince greatly perilous/ And therefore sa●●h Seneque. that it is great force. And noble chivalry to conine foryene/ & therefore there is nothing more necessary than to be pietous and endyned to mercy/ And to this purpoos in his book of clemence the fift chapter he reciteth of a vengeable man/ The which all his life had taken vengeance of all his enemies. But on a time it happened that he might not avenge him of his enemy. For he was much mighty/ then he demamnded of his wife how he might avenge him. The which answered saying/ Fair friend ye have ever unto now all way taken vengeance of all men. & now ye see that ye must chamnge your manner. Thenne I counsell you that ye essay if pity and mercy shall do you as much good. as vengeance hath done/ For me seemeth that ye may not adveuge you on every man. But ye may well do to e●y man pardon And pity. so I counsell you take the way of pity & to leave vengeance. By which counsel this man became pietous and apperceived clearly. that it avaylle●h. nothing to a man that will avenge him on all thing/ And therefore saith Seneque in the book aforesaid the x chapter that the kings and the princes owen to be pietons. For the king of the ●ees that make honey have no prick of their nature. in signefyamnce that such should be their kings/ And in the iiij chapter he saith that the prince that will ensue god/ aught to be much piteous. to th'end that god be to him merciful/ Moreover Solinus rehereeth how Cezar conquered moo contrees by pity than by strength & force. And valere in the book aforesaid saith that Alexander seeing one of his knights to have cold descended fro his siege and set him therein. And of Titus we read/ that he would not avenge him of them that missaid of him & spacke enyll as it appeareth in th'history of Troy. we read also how saint Ambrose commanded to the●dose/ that he should never give sentence against a man that was his enemy. to th'end that he should not have cause to judge over favourably for himself/   

¶ How the princes ought to be of good manners capo. ij  
SOlinus saith in his xj book the iiij chapter the prince ought to be meure. sage/ & of right good life. & certainly the Anncyent fathers beheld more bounty. than the no noblesse or the richesse. And to this purpoos recounteth valere in his iiij book the in chapiter how Actylius was a labourer of the land. And nevertheless for his bounty he was called for to be emperor of Rome. And saint Austyn in his v book of the city of god the xviij chapter reciteth how one quyncyus which was a simple labourer was semblably called for to be of the counsyel of Rome/ And when he saw that he had served enough/ and that by his counseyl Rome had had many victories thenne he returned to his first estate. Thenne me seemeth that the princes oughten more to take heed to bounty than to worldly goods/ & to this purpoos we read how the romans set nothing but of them that were virtuous. & veryli the romans refuseden yefts And all things that might pervert Instyce/ and acordyug hereto reconnteth pompeus in his xviij book how king pyrrus sent to Rome one his servant named chyneas for to confirm the peace between him and the romans And bare great yefts and richesses with him. but he fond not a man in Rome that would receive his yefts/ Thenne me seemeth that princes and lords oughten more to be diligent to have virtues than Richesses/ And to this purpoos saint Austyn in his fifth book of the city of god the xiv chapter aledgeth Cathon the which said that the common weal of Rome had conquered moo goods by the bounty of the counselors than by strength. And to this same purpose he reciteth of Scypion. the which said that the Roiame shall never be in wealth. in which been no good manners & in whom the princes been not virtuous. wherefore saint Austin saith if the romans be deceived it is not for default of walls. but for deffanlte of manners & more harm hath done to them the ardeur of their covetise that the fire hath done which hath been put in their contreyes by their ad●saryes. & ther fore saith saluste/ that Rome shall but little endure. For coveytyle wa●●yth all. & lechery burneth all. More over Orace saith in one of his dities. that a prince evil manerd causeth the country for to perish. For as Claudyan saith. the people gladly follow the prince & doth as he doth. & therefore if he be evil it is gretperyll for all his subietties. & there fore seneque in his hundred epistle in speaking to Alexandre said. O Alexander. thou hast overcomen thine adversaries and conquered many lordships and royalmes Thou hast enterprised the governance of all Royammes/ & nevertheeles thou art he that hast not con govern thy soul ne thy body which is moche little/ Thus thenne ought a prince to fore all thing get to him good manners for to give good example to all them that been in his governance. & for taduyse the better this purpoos it is good to rehearse the conditions and the Inconuenyeuces of enyl princes Ne Rede we not how Ezechyas commanded that jeremy the prophet should be slain. as it is is wreton in Iheremie the xxxviij chapiter. And pilate falseli dampened Ihu christ as it appeareth the nineteen chapytrens of saint Iohn/ who finably died miserably. More over manasses made the people to err. And was cause of many evils and vices/ And therefore he was pugnysshed. And Roboas was to his people over rigorous and sharp/ And therefore he lost ten trybus & his seynorye as it appeareth the iij book of kings Saul also was an evil prince. & therefore god would that the fortune of battles should contrary to him. as it is wreton the first book of kings. then every prince ought to get good manners. if he wylholde his seynorye to the profit of his soul/   

¶ How princes ought not to be covetous ne anarycious ¶ capytulo iij  
THe prince ought to be the heed the which ought to address all the membres. and not to covet the goods of his subjects. and there is no thing, in the world to a prince so covenable as is liberality/ By which he may get him friends And conquer. Like as the wise man saith in his proverbs the nineteen chapter/ And to this purposes recounteth. Polycrate in his iij book the xxiv chapter how Titus was right liberal/ And therefore he was much beloved. And certainly he was much sorrowful that day/ that he had no thing given. And said that a prince ought to refuse no demawde. when he may reasonably do it/ for as boece saith in his first book of consolation the v chapter. largesse maketh the princes noble. And therefore saith seneque in his book of oultrageous covetise. and reproveth the king Antygonus by cause he was covetous. and verily when one demanded of him any gift. he would not grant it. & excused him in saying that it was oultragyously demanded. And when one demanded of him a little gift/ he refused it also in sayeug/ that it appertained not to a king to give so little a yefte. and by this moyen he gave no thing And therefore his flelycyte was not great. But all coutrarye did king Alexander of whom recounteth seneke in his first book of benefices/ how he gaf a city to one which demanded of him alms/ For he saith that a great lord in giving aught to consider. what and to whom. and wherefore he giveth in especial if the gift be great. For otherwise it is not liberality/ but prodigalite which is as much to say/ as foolish and oultrageous dispense. And therefore saith Tullius in his first book of offices the xvij chapter that largesse ought to be done ordinately and reasonably and not by avauntry or vain glory/ for after such largesses. a man becometh comynly ravenous for to have power to maintain his foolish largesse accustomed/ Truth it is that moche people fail more by covetise than they do by fool largesse. And allway there is no thing so evil sitting to a prince. as is covetise. For the other vyisses grieve not so much the people and the subgettes. as thavarice of a prince/ the which ought to be as the stomach which dystributeth the meet that it receiveth to all the membres & retaineth no thing to itself. but only the nourishing. And when it doth otherwise that is to wete when it retryneth the meet abouen his necessity. thenne it becometh sekelew and maladyous by replection. & bringeth a man in to a dropsy. & thenne the stomach swelleth. & all the membres wexen feeble and of no power. & all the evil cometh by cause that it dystributeth not the meet that it had received. Semblably is it of a covetous prince/ the which maketh the country to perysshe/ and the membres to come to nought. when he dystrebuteth not the goods. the which he hath received to them that been in sufferance or necessity/ & to this purpoos we read how the romans were greatly liberal & large. wherefore they became great. & much puissant. of whom recounteth Valere in his v book the first chapter. how they of Cartage sent to the romans. great finance for the rechate of some prysonners that they held. Thenne the romans delivered the prisoners. and reffuseden their finances. for it is more fair & noble to give than to receive. and by cause thereof. They of Cartage gaven good renomee and fame to the romans through out all th● world. Semblably valere in his uj book reciteth how Alexander refused the yefts of Darius the which offered to him an hundred. M. marc of gold with that he would take his daughter in marriage. And thenne one of his servants named promenon said to alexander. that the finance were good to be received. To whom Alexander answered. that it is more worth to be governed by franchise than by covetise/ but the time is now comen that many princes been greatly covetous and the covetous princes resemblen to Castor the which destroyed a man utterly all/ when he took war against him/ as Solinus saith in his iij book the xxxv chapter. Semblably done they that destroy their subjects by tyranny/ the which shall be semblably pugnysshed of god. for as job saith in his xxxv chapter. accursed be they the which by Avarice assemblen great treasures by evil getting/ For the time sha●l come that god shall enhance the power people. And the tyrants shall have enough to do to curse the time that ever the● gate treasures. & to this purpoos recounteth Peter Damya● how saint Andrew & saint gregory gaven great afflictiou to ● knight which had taken away from a pour widow a party of her good & catayll. For as the wise man saith in ecclesiastic in his twenty-three chapter. he that maketh to god sa●efyse of the substance of the pour folk/ resembleth & is like v him that sleeth the son to fore the father. And I have moche neruaylle why one man destroyeth another seen that the beesrs of one condition and of one likeness eateth not the one that other/ like as Aristotle saith in his uj book of beasts. & that more is beestis been over the men pietous. and to this purpoos we read in th'histories of the romans how ij wolves nouryssheden a child named Remus. the which was given to the beasts for to devour/ But after he was king & foundour of Rome/ by the more strong reason a man ought to be pietous of his semblable. ¶ And the prince ought not to desert his subgettes/ but aught to take example of Thiberius. of whom we read in the chronicles. how his offyciers counseled him that he should ordain subsidies & tributes upon his people. the which answered a good shepherd ought not to devour his sheep. but to nourish and to keep them.   

¶ How the princes oughten to maintain and keep justice capitulo. iiij  
THe princes been principally ordained for to mayntrne & keep justice. And therefore they leave the estate & weacyon when they do not right to every man. & thus for to do they may take example of the wise men of athens/ of whom recounteth Valere in his uj book the v chapter. how Themys●des said to them. that he would conquer & put in subgection be country of grece. seen that they had the might so to do/ the which answered that a good & a noble man ought not by cause of his profit do against justice. Semblably the said Vayre in his v book reciteth how Carridius Cirus that is to weet a man so sometime named seeing how many noises divisions were among the counselors of Rome/ wherefore he did do make a law/ that no man should enter in to the co ●●ceyl with his sword for t'eschew Inconuenyences that myg● ensue. but it happened that he coming fro a far country. entered in to the counsel with his sword gird about him. then the counselors demanded of him why he broke his law the which himself had ordained & decreed. Thenne without saying any word he took his sword & set the point to him breast/ & leaned thereon saying that he had liefer die than break justice without punition. and how well that no man ought to procure his owen death/ Nevertheless it appeareth by the sai● histories. how th'ancient fathers were much amorous and diligent to keep justice/ And to this purpoos saint Austyn in his third book of the city of god the nineteen chapter. recounteth how the counselors and judges of rome were moche pour as it appeareth of one named Lucius Valerianus/ the which lived not but of the alms of the people/ by cause of the great poverty that he was in/ & other by cause they would receive no yefts/ to th'end that they should not be inclined to do any thing more to the favour of the party. than of justice/ and for that aught a prince more to lone justice than richesses & yefts/ And to this puypoos saith saint austin in the book aforesaid how one named quyncius was a labourer of the land when he was called to be due of the city/ & nevertheless he bring due he maintained him simply & humbly to show that the princes be not ordained principally for to get richesses/ but for to maintain justyre/ and hereto we have many examples of the ancients/ of whom we read how they did justice. of themself & of their proper children. As Valere rehearseth in his v book/ the which reciteth how Brutus condemned his ij sons by right great pugnition. by cause they laboured to bring again Tarquyn to Rome which was banished and much contrary to the common weal/ Many other also condemned their parents & friends saying that justice ought to be 〈◊〉 by reason. And a judge ought not to do all that he may/ but 〈◊〉 that he ought to do. and also it appertaineth not to a prince 〈◊〉 constitute ne ordain judges. but if he know them for good 〈◊〉 wise. For these been the ij conditions without which the judge may not well ne rightfully Inge. But now in these ●ayes the Juges been ordained more for favour of blood or for ●eftes▪ than for wit or bounty that they have. Thenne me seemeth that they ought to take example to an history/ the which ●elmandus reher●eth/ the which saith that there was sometime an emperor named Helius the which reigned much long in so much that he became so ancient and old that he might not govern th'empire. then the people & the council prayed him that he would renounce th'empire to his son. The which answered that it ought enough to suffice to him to have reigned in his time & that he would not that his son● should have it to his profit. but a man that would do justice And therefore he said. I pray you that ye seek a wise man that shall mow and con govern you/ and take no regard to me ne to my sone▪   

¶ How the princes ought to be soft & humble cap●. v  
THe prince is as the heed the which is set most hy●e by nature/ And yet allway it is the part of the body in which appeareth most his humility/ For we see that in humbling & meking himself/ a man dyscoverth and inclineth his heed. This thenne it is a sign that the prince which is named the heed ought to have in himself humility. And the princes ought to consider. how all their predecessors been deed & comen to nought. and to this purpoos we read how a phylosophre named Golonus in speaking to Alexander said/ O Alexander all the world sufficed not to the when thou lyvedest. and now uj fret of earth suffice for to bury the. More over quyntynus reciteth how a right old man & bald said to Alexander/ See well to. what thou dost. For me seemeth that thou wilt mount over high. but take good heed when thou shalt be so mounted. that thou suffer not thyself to fal●e over foul. The which Alexander could not so wisely take heed to himself. but that he was enpoysonned in his yong●●e and the flower of all his days. And therefore saith the wise man in his v chapter/ what availed the pomps & the richesses of the world/ seen that they pass and vanish away as doth the shadow. then a moche fool is the prince the which in his puissance transitory glorifyeth himself. & it they considered well their estate/ they shall find that their seignoryes conteynen more trouble and thought/ than pleasance or deduyt. And to this purpoos recounteth Valere in his seven book. how sometime they would have crowned a king but he made great delay tofore or he would receive the crown & gaf his reason in saying that a new royalme beareth with him new thought. By which it appeareth how the princes have no cause to glorify themself of their lordships. and they ought to take example in julyus Cezar of whom we read in the book of fyctions phylosophyke: how he was much humble in speaking to his knights and servants. & was as ready to serve them. as he was to receive their service/ truth it is that one of his knights right ancient on a time among the other/ was condemned by the council of Rome to right great pain & damages/ And then he came to cezar for to require aid. the which atte first said that he should assign to him a right good advocate for to plete his cause. To whom the knight said. O Cezar thou knowest well that in the battle of Ayse I had none advocate for to help the. but I went myself in proper person as it appeareth by my wounds the which been yet apparent by cause of the same. Thenne julius descended from his siege in saying. that the prince is also well ordained to succour his knights. as the knights been to soconre the prince/ Thenne is the prince moche to be reprehended when he setteth by nothing but by ●ym self/ And when him seemeth that all the world ought to serve him/ such pride maketh a prince like a breast. & to forget his condycon & ●ys birth. & how be it that men ought allway obey princes nevertheless they ought not therefore be proud of their signory. For they & all their chivalry within a little while shall be deed & torued thou to Ashes & dust/ & a 'cording hereto rehearseth saint Jerome in his epistle Cxix. And valere also the same in his last book. how the king of perses was in a montayve. & beheld his noble & pnissannt chivalry & wept saying. Alas within an C year all this chivalry schal be but a little ashes & dust/ & as me seemeth few pryn●es consider their death But almost there is none but he thinketh how he may become more mighty and more great. And all this doth & causeth their pride & their false covetise. Th●y aught to take example of Ihesu cryst the which fled in the mountain when he saw that the people came to him for to make him king. as saith saint Iohn in his uj chapter/ And upon the same saint Iohn grysostome in his uj omelie saith that Ihu christ scheweth to us by that he fled. how we ought to flee mondanyt●e & and all vain glory. And to this purpoos we read how vaspasyan would not receive th'empire And said he was indign and not worthy not wythstonding that his knights would that he should be Emperor in any wise/ But now in this present time we see all thopposite & contrary. for the prnyces intend with their power to conquer new seygnouryes and lordshyppies. And it is a manner of tyranny. the which maketh naturally his master doubtous & fearful/ For the tyrannt hath all way fere and dread to lose that which he hath evil gotten/ The tyranntes' l●n also comunli little beloved of their subjects. and therefore they live in great doubt. To this purpoos we read how denis 〈◊〉 tyrant durst not do shave his ●erde for fere that he had of sleeyng And in deed he brent the hairs of his beard/ as Tullius rehereeth in his seven book of offices the seven chapter. Semblably he reciteth how a tyrannt named Sergius for semblable cause doubted that his wife should slay him by night. And in deed he died do espy if she had any knife or other thing to do it/ And nevertheless in th'end he was slain by her. More over valere recounteth how the king Masinissa by cause of his tyranny trusted not to his people. And therefore he made his body to be kept by dogs by the which histories it app●rith how tyranny maketh the princes ferdful & doubtous. the which tyranny cometh of pride/ That is to weet when the prince is not content And hath not suffisance in his estate/ And when he would allway mowte more high/   

¶ How the prince ought allway to be sober & chaste cap●. uj  
GLoutonnye And lechery affeblysshen the body and taken fro a man all the will to do well. And in deed then shall see how the glutton by his drunkness speaketh foolishly. And showeth his secret oft/ Thenne aught the princes to be ashamed. the which demannde no thing but win and mete. and holden long gardeners. and yet more long soupers. For of times in beverages. And dissolutions they maintain themself all the night or the greatest part thereof. And who that these days will find gluttony/ he may well go to the court of d●●erse princes. And there thou shalt find. that all for the most part they do none other thing but drink and the/ safe a little while they be in idleness and in plays dissolute. and therefore Socrates the philosopher despised the life of the people of the court/ and of all them that follow the halls And great dinners/ To whom speaketh Seneke in one his epistle. O ye miserable people that do no●e other thing but drink and et▪. it is damage that ye have soul and understanding/ sith that ye only think on your body. And for so much virgil in his first book of En●ydos reproveth dydo by cause she held her long at dinner. what shall we say of them ●henē of whom isaiah saith in his seven chapter/ The which have not leisure to sleep by cause they would rise early in the morn for to make themself drunk. They be like to them. of whom seneke speaketh in his lxxxxvij epistle. the which ●a● & night drink always and eat. safe a little while that they sleep. And it is good to wete that thenne they dream that they drink and eat/ For gladly men dream of that which they do by day/ then aught the princes to flee and eschew gluttony. and aught to have in their court measure. ordynannce/ and all honest. But thou shalt find there now none order but filth and foul table clothes/ And men which say themself to be honest. but they run to the table shoving And putting away each other/ And they resemble not men but hogs and swine going to their trough/ in foul eting & there shall thou here no word spoken of god ne say no graces ne benedict▪ but dissolute words. oaths & swearing/ & all dishonest shall thou there see regning▪ & if this were in war it should not be over great marvel. But in time of peace to maintain such a life/ it is not a life/ but it is death. and right gluttony/ the which engendereth lechery/ like as saith valere/ And also experience showeth the same/ the which is right e●yl sitting in princes/ & geverally in all chynalrye/ And as to me Irepute impossible that a man lecherous & amero● folyssly of women may be wise and kuyghtly/ ●ecounteth not vegece in his iij book of chivalry. how the noble knight scipion thafricanus would never abuse himself with women how fair so ever they were/ as it appeareth of the fair maid which he refused and restored her to her husband. we read also how Octaviau seeing Cleopater a right fair ●irgyne/ how be it that he was somewhat inclined to her love nevertheless he would in no wise abuse her. lykeas policrate saith in his iij book the seven chapter. Semblably we read how hanybal. Gayus julius Cezar/ and Cathon lyvedeu right sobrely and chastened as it appeareth in the v book of policrate the uj chapter▪ Thus thenne aught the princes to consider how that foolish love of women destroyed the strength of Samson/ The wit of Solomon & the bounty of/ David▪ And therefore may never prince long endure/ that setteth all his intention to lechery. like as saith saint Jerome in his xxxiiij epistle/ And to this purpose Egesipp● in his first book in speaking of one named antony said to themperor know thou that antony is vanquished▪ but that is not by the. but this hath done Cleopatra. whom he hath so foolishly loved/ For he had liefer be vaynqnysshid with her/ than to vaynquyssh● without her/ then aught e●y Chyualro● man to take heed and see well to that he be not lost by lechery Troth it is that be nameth himself Amorous. But when I adnyse me well he may be named maleuro● that is unhappy. For it is great misery for to have thought to maintain a woman. For thenne his body he destroyeth his strength perysshith. his sight wasteth/ h●s wit minisheth/ his life shorteth. his health enpeyreth/ And his courage for to do well gooth away and his good fame & renomee. And when he weeneth to be happy by cause he hath found a fair woman/ than he hath lo● himself by cause of his inordinate love. which is that he loveth the woman more than himself. And so it happeth oft that he is moche deceived when he weeneth to be beloved singularly/ that is to weet be that maintaineth diverse and many women/ For he ought to know that never woman loved snche a man long. how well that she showeth semblamnt for to love him but her hope is for to have his gold and his silver. I put case that it were otherwise. And that there were love between both parties/ yet may none otherwise be 〈…〉 right unhappy. the which for love of the 〈…〉 & leaveth thesta●e 〈…〉 by what moy●n his auncetres ha●e conquered their goods ●ud honours/   

¶ How the princes ought to employ and dispose 〈◊〉 ●elf cap●. vi●  
THe Princes ought to be example of honour And of good life. & to employ & dispose themself in good wer●es and feats. for to be cause that their snbgettis do semblably/ And it is a great shame if a prince that should be a capitain of knights be called a player of dice. & every knight ought to know that by playing of dice or other games semblable may nothing be gotten ryghtfuly ne justly. but all that is gotten by that moyen is to the damnation of his soul & hurting of his couscyence. By such games the name of god is sworn and forsworn & despised/ A man loseth his time and his rest oft. And when he should think how he should govern his people. than he studieth to beguile his fellow and win his money. And to this purpoos we read in polycrate how a knight named Clysson arrived in the country of corinth for to treat alliance with the lords of the country. the which he fond playing at dice. & he this seeing departed. & said he would have none allyanuce with players of dice For players of dice been conynly light in couragen. & chamnge oft their purposes as doth the fortune of dice▪ & been ready for 〈◊〉 promise. to swear. & also been full of covetise. and by consequent been inclined to rapine and theft/ And therefore saith seue●● in his proverbs. that he that knoweth most of such plays/ knoweth most of evil As who should say. that in such games is no thing but evil And sin. Thenne is it a great ●ame that chivalry be euployed in such games. For such ●●ayes make a man to lose his 〈…〉 and cousenting. For I put ●aas. that which they have be●n ●●●fte/ Nevertheless all they that play for avarice and cou●● see been in their heart ravenous. And therefore saint Aus●● saith in his iiij book of the city of god the xuj chapiter/ how wise woman dreamed that it should be good to forbid and de●● de all the games and plays that been in pr●uidyce of the ●●myn weal. But I will not say but that the princes and 〈◊〉 knights may play And disport them with some ho● play/ For as seneque saith in his book of tranquillity sometime the philosophers took disports as it appeareth of Socrates and of Chaton. For as the cord which is allway 〈◊〉 or stratched/ sometime breaketh/ Right so a man wyt●●● rest may not long persevere. And hereof we have experience of the lands and fields/ that men let rest for to bear fru● the better/ And a man speaketh. For to wake the better aft●● slight so ne more ne lass a man may honestly disport for t●● better to intend to that he ought to do. And hereof we ha●●an example of saint Iohn Eu●gelyst. of whom Cassy● recounteth in his seven book of collations/ how he on a time disported with a partrych. And that seeing a young man go●y●● by the way bearing a bow in his hand said that he meru●● led that he played so like a man of the world/ and was of ●●●oly life then saint Iohn answered in demannding of hy● wherefore his bow was not always bended. To whom he●●snerde/ that if his bow were always bent/ that it should not ●o strong for to cast forth the arrow/ Semblably said se●● Iohn is it of the body of a man/ which may not allway 〈◊〉 ●ore. And therefore he ought to have some Alegement. 〈◊〉 which it appeareth. how honest plays ought no man to 〈◊〉 so they be taken in time and in place. and after the condition of the person/ But plays dissolute oughten to be repren●● and evil plays. the which oft been of covetise. suspecion●● and of many evil usages▪ and much idle angages/   

¶ How knights ought to govern themself/ capo. viij  
I Knight ought to be a man among a thousand good & honourable corageo● of heart. true in his deeds. mighty & ●yse hardy. & prduent. & ready to dyffende the right of his con●ey. and of them to whom he is bound to serve/ & also of them whom he hath the governance. And as Geffrey saith in his etrye. usage maketh a master. & the excersite maketh a mandy and habyle in his feats and deeds as the greeks say their proverbs. & as Tullius reciteth in his questionns' tusilanes in his first book/ And therefore the knights oughten 〈◊〉 exercise & accustom them in feats of Arms. and aught not to be idle in seeking and following their pleasure & ease ● such wise. that they essay not almost at no time to here the ●ates ne pain of chivalry/ I suppose if a search should be ma● bow many knights know their horses well. and their drses them/ and have their harnoys & abyllemeuts of war edy. I toowe there should not many be founden without lack of ●iche as they ought to have. More over the knights ought 〈◊〉 be true & hold that they promise/ And to this purpoos re●ounteth valere in his v book how a knight of Rome named ●●ius promised to hannibal certain money for the ransom ●f certain prisoners romans that he held. so that he would ●syuer them. & thenne hannibal geanted to him his demand/ & rabi● came to Rome. & recounted to the romans his promise 〈◊〉 the romans woldenot pay that which he had promised ●nd that seeing Fabyus/ he sold his heritage. and held his promise to hanybal/ And therefore polycratus in his uj book ●●e fift chapter saith that a knight to fore all things is ●●unde to keep his oath & that which he ꝓmytteth. and therefore ●prynces maken the knights to swear by their oath/ that ●y should hold and maintain loyalty and truth/ in signefy/ ●ee/ That it ought to be a great furete of the oath of knight/ to keep and maintain the church. And so to do of old ty●● they promised & presented to the temple their swords in●nefyance that they promised loyalty. first to god the ●che is prince of all chivalry. After a knight ought not●ly trust in his strength/ but aught to be wise and subtle believe good counseyl. For ulixes surmounted the strong ●cules by his wit/ and not by his strength. And the 〈◊〉 mains couquerden the world more by their wisdom/ 〈◊〉 by any other thing as polycrate saith the seven chapter of ● uj book/ And Pompeius in his xj book reciteth of Alexa●●der how his father left to him little chivalry. but he w●wyse and well learned/ And thefor he conquered all the wo●● by wit of chivalry/ And to this purpose Egesippus his v book allegeth Tytus. which saith that in Chyual●●wytte & good advise were more necessary than strength body. More over a knight in his feats of arms ought ● to be pnsumptuꝰ ne despise ou much his ad●sarye. for as ca●● saith. it happeth oft that the feeble descomfyteth the strong & the●● till. the great as. david surmounted golye. and thou oughtest/ know that the victory cometh not of the man but princypaly/ god as it appeareth in the first book of machabees the iij chapter. & therefore a knight ought not to glorify himself & to th● purpoos we read how moyses gate victories not by strength b● in praying god & in lifting his hands to heaven. as is wret●●/ the book of exode the xvij chapter. & of th'eodose in thistoryesthe romans we read. how he seeing that his enemies we more strong than he was. he prayed to god in taking the 〈◊〉 of the cross by which he gate victory and therefore anncyer when they made battle. the priest of the law went to fore ●● chivalry in praying god. as it appeareth in the book of deutro●● my the xx chapiter. & therefore saith the prophet that a man ou● not to trust princypaly in the vigour of his legs ne in ● strength of his horse. but in the grace of god. More ouer● knight ought not enterprise battle but if it be by good 〈◊〉 d●●ght good cause/ And to this purpoos saith swetonius his second book that Augustus' cezar entreprysed no ba●le/ but if it were for teschew right great damage/ and ther●●● saith saint Austyn in his fifth book of the city of god the ●ij chapter. that a battle ought not to be made/ but for ●●t great necessity. And therefore anciently the people requy●● god that he would show unto them if they had right or ●●●or elliss if they had done any thing against him. wherefore y ought to have battle. For their said. & it is truth that ●●y that love god & have good cause. finably they shall have crorye of their enemies. as it appeareth in the book of levities ●xxvj chapter. But it is great inconvenience when the ba●●slles been made by tyranny/ & by cause of covetise/ For the mine proverb saith. sin noyeth. & therefore me seemeth that sonably many knights have much suffered. For many tynes. they have made enterprises. not with good cause and ●●ght but by pride and by cause of their covoytyse And it is erred that they should happen wel-seen that they go to battle ot with their proper good/ but with goods evil gotten/ ●nd in going they rob the power people. and them in their ●ven country. And they that so do. been not worthy to noble ne called knights but they be of the condition of ty●ntes. of whom polycrate speaketh in his iiij book/ that to 〈◊〉 a tyramnt should be a just thing. And Tullyus in his book offices the seven chapter saith/ that for to slay a tyrant is a ●●nge honest For we see that a man cutteth a way the mē●e that is cause of the destruction of the other/ But thou mayst mand how the tyramnt may be known. To this ausuereth crystotle in his viij book of ethyques saying thatbyt ween king & a tyramnt is a great difference/ For the king secheth ●sireth the common we'll/ & the tyrant seeketh his owen prout●● the suppression of the people. & therefore tyranny is seyg●●ye violent & oultrageous/ and therefore it may not long ●●dure/ And thus saith ●ot in his xv chapter/ And be 〈◊〉 we have seen many examples of some tyrants which he lost their signory all or a great part/    

¶ Here followeth the fourth book. the which speaketh of● state of the commonalty/ and of the people/  

¶ first it trateth of Rich men. and how they ought to glorysye in their richesses capytulo pru  
THe men comen of god and not of the creature. A therefore the looving and praising aught to be begin first and principally to god. And the rich man ought to ●●sydere That which the wise man saith in his xv book pronerbes. which saith that he that followeth avarice h● no peace of conscience. And in his xxviij chapter he s●● that he that hateth avarice enlongeth his days and his to And therefore to have richesses it not all way most prouf●●table/ For richesses oft empessix and letoens the getyn of virtues and therefore the Anncyent men d●sireden mo●●vertues And good renomee than they died rychsses or be●●uoyr. As it appeareth by scypyon/ the which brought m● the subgection of the Rommayns all auffryque. of which romans he demanded For his salayre no more/ 〈◊〉 be named in his surname Auffrycan in memory of cl●●sayd victory/ as valere reciteth in his iij book. And of ●●●counceyllours of Rome we read that they were so pour. the it behoved the senate to nourish their children. THe recoer●deth also of thiberyon how he said. That better is worth ● tursour of suffysannce. Than of chyvance and richeses. An in deed many times he refused great treasures that were ● him presented. More over in his fourth book he recounter of marcus tullius how he was an exemplary of right go life. and might have had more richesses but he would not. A● he dutillyd in a little house And held a little estate/ And as so that many essayeden for to see if they might chamnge ● will. And to him presenteden great fynannces. To who ●he said. go ye your way with all your richesses. For ●y been your charge and your perdition. we read also in the ●●nd book of fyctions phylosophyke. how the king of Ce●e named Artagougles used not in his estate but vayssell earth/ For his father had been a potter. And therefore he said ●●at for any fortune noman ought to forget his genyture/ ●nd better it is and more worth to increase in good manners ●●an in great estate. By which histories it appeareth how the ●●che men ought not to glorify themself in their richesses/ ●nd to this purpoos saith th'apostle in his epistle to Tymo●●e. that he that loveth richesses. at last he shall not do his ●●ffyt. And the rich man ought to consider how he is mor●●l/ For finably him behoveth to leave all/ So then he 〈◊〉 not wise that setteth his heart and his trust in temporal ●●d transitory chyvannce and goods. as saith saint Gre●ory in his xviij book of morallis. And to the same purpose ●●ynt Austyn in a sermon of the words of god saith. that ●●thyng is worth to thee/ thaugh thy coffer be full of richesses/ 〈◊〉 thou have no thing of good in thy conscience/ what auay●●th to have richesses if thou have no goodness in thyself/ ●hat availeth to a man that hath the use of moche good. ●nd he himself is subject by sin to the fiend/ Therefore ●yde a wise phylosophre named Salon/ that no rich man 〈◊〉 happy. that is to weet when he is avaricyus. And this counteth valere in his seven book the second chapter. More ●●er the rich man ought to consider. That many been becomen ●●ure. as Cassus which was right rich But after he was ●roure. that all men scorned him And had him in derysi●●●. And one named Cassus was so great at Rome. that he ●●as called the Patron Senate but finably he was deed & by justice condemned shamefully. & therefore saith Seneque in ●● book of purueamnce that 〈…〉. For the man is in great peril/ that no thing knoweth/ ne it endure/ And of such condition been oft the rich men/ the w●che will have in all case their pleasure/   

¶ Here followeth thestate of poverty/ how he ought to content capitulo ij  
Saint james saith in his first chapter. God in ●●● world here hath chose the power folk. whom also ● enhamnceth oft & commynly as saith the prophet david. & ou●●uyour saith. that blessed been the power of spirit. That is to ●●te them. that been not in their hearts coveytoꝰ. For little is ponte worth without forth if the heart hue not suflysance/ A● to this purpoos we have also diverse examples/ as of die hugeness the wise phylosophre. the which setted nothing ● worldly gods/ & Seneke this book of purucamnce saith th● demetrius threw all his richesses in to the see saying that ●● were noyous & grievous. & in his book of tranquyllice he recoūn● of a philosopher the which by fortune lost all the good that he had. and he seeing this. he thanked joyously fortune saying that he was alleged & eased of great pain & more re●bect disposed to do well. More over saint Jerome in his thirty epistle rehearseth how crates which was of the city of 〈◊〉 was sometime much rich. But he renounced all in saying. the● it was much hard to get richesses. & that it is bet to le● she richesses than by richesses to be lost: ther fore said Fa●bricius that he wao rich not by great richesses. but by ver●suffysaūce like as valere saith in his iiij book the iij chapy●●tre/ And in semblable opinion was zevon the phylosoph like as agelyus recounteth/ And therefore Thobye said●● his son/ My son we Irde a power life/ But and we dradde god we shall have good enough/ this is wrecon in ● iiii capytre/ And therefore saith Seneke in his second epis● ●at is when a man is content with his suffisance. the why suffisance maketh a man more rich than doth great chy nce and good/ For as saith saint Austyn. there is no thing it maketh a man so joyous as doth suffisance in poverty ●●d to this accordeth an history of saint Austyn which he●●erceth in his book of confessions in speaking of himself. and ●th that on a time he saw a power man passing by in his covert moche joyously/ whereof he much marveled. And ●nne he said to his fellows. Alas my friends we labour in ●yn and in getting richesses for to live surely and joyously or ye see this poureman which moche passeth us. and is men long sith. to that we demand and seche. And this hi●rye was to fore the conversion of saint Austyn/ Moreover the holy scripture thou shanlt find how Moses kept sheep/ ● it appeareth the iij book of Exode/ & the prophet helye was so ●ure/ that he demamnded a little breed and water of a widow ● it appeareth in the third book of kynghes. And thappostles enounced all/ And in deed saint peter said of himself. that ●had neither gold ne seluer. And we read of Saul. that he ●●epte the asses of his father. And david was a shepherd. and evertheles after they were kings. Thenne me seemeth that ●ponerte every man ought to have good pacyenee. and he is ●oche rich that liveth in suffisance. that is to wete. content ●●●h that he hath/   

¶ Of the state of old age/ and how men ought to be good & retuous capitulo iij ●.  
AFter the age of a man he ought to be the more ripe & advised & by thexperiences that he hath seen he ought to the more wise of manners/ And therefore seneke in his ix ●stle thanked & praised his old age/ by cause that thereby he 〈◊〉 many evils & sins. And saint Ambrose in his first 〈…〉 for tensue the same in the process of their life For Senek●● saith in his book of manners every person doth that gladly that which he hath learned to do in his youtghe & Aristotle 〈◊〉 his book of Ethiques saith that it is a thing natural to take playfance & delectation in that thing/ the which he hath beaccustomed to do in his childhod & youghte & therefore the w●●se man in the xj capytre of ecclesiastes speaketh to a young man● saith thus youge man advise the to dispose thy herb in goo● works For like as he ought no thing to reap that hath no thing sown. right so in old age he shall find nothing good b● that he hath accustomed to do in his youth. And therefore ought the young people to keep them well fro evil company to which is oft cause of the destruction & perdition of young folk & it is hard for a young man to be good/ when he conversed with people of enyl life And to this purpoos saith tulle in hi● second book of offices. that Children ought to be nourysshe● with good folk & honest. And aught to dwell with them continually And thenne by cause of the good people/ he shall ● ashamed for to do evil. For they shall be a feared for to be reproved. & consequently they shall be a shamed to be reprehended They also that have the governance of the young people aught not to cease to reperue and chastise them. And thenne is a ma● well disposed to receive chastisement when he is young. And not harded ne made tude to do harm. And therefore saint A●●lme in his book of symylitudes compareth Infancy or childhood to wax which is soft/ & is disposed to receive such print as men will. The child also resembleth to the road when it boweth lightly. it is wounden as men will. Thenne owen the father & Mother to have right great advice upon the ●●nernāce of their children as it shall be said here after. The children also owen to their parents & to their masters to obeys in folowyug ●saac. the which obeyed in such wise to his father that he was all ready to receive the death at his commandment as it appeareth the xxij chapter of genesis. & yet he was at th● time of the age of xxxij year. And of david we read how he was obeyssant to his father/ as it appeareth the first book of kings/ And Ihu christ himself in his youth was obeyssamnt 〈◊〉 his parents/ as saith saint Luke in his second chapter/ well ●s truth that many by cause of their youth ween to be excused of all their evils that they do. the which been moche de●eyued/ For sith they have wit and understanding. they been 〈◊〉 be reproved & they shall be pugnysshid of god if they do duy● vyll. And hereof we have example of the sons of hely. the which were right grievously punished by cause they lyue●en after their will in delyces/ as it appeareth the first book of ●ynges. we read also of the ij children. which god made to be devoured by the wolves. by cause they soorned and mocqued 〈◊〉 prophet helyzee as it appeareth the iiij book of kings. Moreover the young people glorify themself in their beauty. why 〈◊〉 be much deceived/ For as Aristotle saith/ if a man had 〈◊〉 eyeu of a lynx & that he might see through his body. he should 〈◊〉 in himself and in every creature moche filth and ordnre And such there be that ween that they be right fair. And if ●●xy saw themself. they should well know that they be right ●ull. For they have nothing fair safe the skin withoutforth ●ore over they glorify in their age/ & have hope for to live ●onge. and they consider not that assoon dieth the young man ●s doth the old. And that more is we see that the young men eyen most comynly. For they be more full of outrages & son●er fall in to the sicknesses of hasty death. And thus nature ●ath no certain term of living. Therefore no young man ne ●oman ought not for hope of long life to take any hardy●es for to do evil. For for to live or not to live. the sin ●● vyl shall be pugnysshed And hope is cause oft to live evil in 〈◊〉 time of old age/   

●Of thestate of marriage how it ought to be go●̄ned capo. v  
Marriage is ordained for to have lineage. and for to love each other. And therefore th'apostle saint paul in his fy●the chapiter admonesteth the wedded men saying ye men lo●● your wives as Ihus christ loveth his church. And to this purpoos valere in his iiij book the v chapter reciteth how 〈◊〉 man named graceus loved his wife named Corneylle 〈◊〉 moche that he would die for to get the health of his wife. he 〈◊〉 counteth also how Cuplacius herd say that his wife wa●d●ed· And thenne he smote himself in the breast with a knit and required to be with her. drowned or brent/ as at 〈◊〉 time was the customme to do when the people were deed. An● how be it that noman ought so to do/ Nevertheless by 〈◊〉 said histories/ it appeareth how men ought to love their wyves·s Semblably also the women owen to love their hus●bondes/ And hereof we have example as valere recounteth 〈◊〉 his book aforfaid. how julia the daughter of Cezar seeing 〈…〉 of her husband spotted with blood was so troubled that for sorrow and henynes/ her child that she had within her belly was destroyed· For she had supposed that her husband had been deed. or that he had received some villainy whose name was Pompee the granut/ After he reciteth of the daughter of Cathon named Porcia seeing her husband brutns to b● slain/ she demanded a knife to slay herself also/ And by cause that none would deliver to her no knife. she took brenning cools. and put them in her month & eat them done in such wise that she died by a right merueyllo● manner/ Semblably be recounteth of the wife of king metridatus which followed him in all places where he went. were it in battles or else where. And certainly she kit of her hairs. and arrayed her like a man. for to have the better opportunity for to follow him in all places. And how be it for to do in like wise/ it is no● of congruity ne of necessity. yet by the said histories it apper●●● how marriage ought to be had in great love. And to the sam● purpoos reciteth valerius in his uj book the seven chapiter. 〈◊〉 ●ulpi●a a kept her husband in a little place right secretly. Not withstanding she wife well that she should be deed if her husband were found with her. whom they songht to put to death. And ●t is good to know how in marriage after the doctors. th●e things ought to be/ that is to wete faith. loyalty/ lineage & sacrament/ By faith and loyalty is given to understand that neither of the parties married ought not to trespass with his ●●dy but to keep it to his party/ For as th'apostle faith in 〈◊〉 first epistle to the Corynthyeus/ the body of the man is by ●ngyng to the wife. And the body of the wife to the man. that ●s to understand in marriage/ And as saint Ambrose saith in ●is exameron. god made eve of the side of Adam/ in signefy●●ce that in marriage a man and woman ought to be all one ●ody one self thing. And me seemeth that the party that for●ayteth his marriage/ doth a yenst the law of nature/ For ●he stork hath such forfeiture in abomination of storks to ●●ee him or her that so forfayteth. like as Alexander recounteth in his book of nature of birds. And me seemeth it is a great abomination to see in many marriages so little faith and loyalty as now is. But I believe that one of the causes among the other is. that the marriage be not duly maked. but for money. or other evil cause. Thenne it is no marvel that the marriage continue not well sith the begynuing therefore the king lygurgiss would and ordained in his Royamme that the virgins and maidens should be wedded without to have gold or silver to th'end that the marriage should not be made by covetise. like as pompeus reciteth in his iij book/ And valere in his seven book the first chapter reciteth how one demamnded some ●ym of a philosopher named themystodes how and to whom 〈◊〉 should mary his daughter. that is to weet to a pour man 〈◊〉 to a rich. The which answered. that he ought not to demān●e poverty ne richesse. but the bounty and the virtues of the m●̄●ore over in marriage there lieth right great advice. and not ●●ly for parentage/ but also for to maintain it/ And to this purpoos speaketh Theofraste dystyple of Arystole/ in his book that he made of marriage in which he saith. that a man aught more to behold the bounty of the woman than the beauty. and if thou demand which is better to take a fair woman or a foul he ausuerde. that it is an hard thing to keep a fair woman the which many men desire. And it is a great pain ●● love the foul one which many despise. allway if she be good the goodness shall keep her beauty. And if she be not fair. 〈◊〉 is none hard thing to love her that is of right good will. for naturally & reasonably more ought the bounty to be praised tha● the beauty/ More over in marriage is moche to be suffered. sin●gulerly if both parties be not wise. For men been oft suspecyonno● of their wives/ Therefore ought a woman to be simple and good. & not only of her body. but also of her maynt●● and manners/ For in speaking. in beholding. ne in conversant she ought not do any thing. by which any other might think or judge in her any evil/ And it happeth oft that by they folyssh maintain and manners/ the women make their hus●boudes to misdeem and evil of believe. Many also seeing they manner foolish & suspcōnno●. pain themself to deceive th●● weening that they be of evil disposition by cause of their wan●● and foolish manner/ And offtime it happeth that such one ● taken with her net/ the which she never thought it should ha●● pen/ And all this evil cometh by the false semblamntes' An● countenances that many women maken: The men also tha purpose to mary oughten to advise and behold the condyco● of her that they desire to have to wife. But many been deceyue● by cause they take them in the age of xij year or there about. an● thenne what they be/ noman may wete ne know. For as 〈◊〉 proverb saith/ how seeth a child. seeth no thing/ Als in marrying himself. one ought to here many speak For lou● and carnal affeceyon blindeth the understanding. and make●● a man favourable to judge. when he is surprised of such 〈◊〉 therefore a man ought to believe more another than him so   

¶ How the women ought to govern themself capo. uj  
A woman ought to have reasonably two conditions. that is to wite/ shame of reproof/ and dread of disobeyeng of her party. For thenne a woman is lost. & dissolute when she hath in her neither dread ne shame/ And it is a thing moche to be reproved to see women hardy/ dissolute/ and ready to do many evils. Snche been they the which by their manners foul and dissolute. and by their lechero● beholdings draw men to do evil of whom speaketh saint Jerome in his epistle Cviij/ And saith that many women been like to th'idols the which drawn the people of the world to the fiend. Semblably been they that pop themself & make them to seem fair for to bring other to sin/ And it is great marvel how they presume to deffeate and altere that which god hath made/ & much lewd is the woman the which weeneth to make ●er more fair than god hath made her. And it is a great presumption to defface the painture of god/ for to make the painture/ as saith saint Ambrose in his exameron/ & to this purposes. Guyllem in the book of his book of the universal world reciteth how two women sometime were riyht c●ryou see for to make them so fair. and to comb them so it happened that the one deyde/ the which after appeared to her fellow. when she arrayed and kembed herself and said to her/ my friend advise thee/ For I am dampened for my curiosytees the which I used and maintained when I was with the. And me seemeth that such curiosytees been by cause of lechery & of dissolucō●●arnall/ then ought all women take example of the good ●lde and ancient women/ of whom reconunteth valere in his ●ij book the uj chapter. how many women had liefer to have ●yed than to be deffouled/ and he rehearseth how the mariners ●ke a woman a greek by cause to sin with her/ And 〈◊〉 ●eyng that. sprang in to the see & drowned herself. And therefore she was much praised of the greeks & reputed for a sayn●● More over he reciteth of a woman that slew her daughter/ because that Apy● would have deffouled her. and said that she had liefer have her daughter slain than she should live & be dissolute. Semblably saint Ambrose in his book of virginity the in chapter reciteth how a maid called Pelage in thage of xv year was ●auysshed in the country of Anthyoche/ the which seeing she might not escape/ sprang in to a river/ For she had liefer die a virgin than to line corrupt. By the which histories it appeareth that th'ancient women were much chaste and continent. Truth it is that they ought not to slay ne to drown thhem self but if it were by the commandment and Inspiration of god/ like as saint Austyn saith in his first book of the city of god the xxv chapter. For she sin lieth not in the body but in the will/ And how be it that they might not keep the body against them. Nevertheless they had power not to consent. And keep their will f●o corrupcy●n. like as he witnesseth in the book aforesaid the xuj chapter. A●d not withstanding all these theynges aforesaid ●● is it truth that they deserved honour And great praising ●● so moche that they loved continence and chastity/ And ● this purpoos faint Jerome in his book against Ionynya● reciteth how the wife of Actilius was so chaste. that ne●man touched her safe her husband only/ And on a time ● happened that a man said to her husband that his mouth sta●●e And when he came home he blamed his wife by cause she had not warned him thereof/ for to have found remedy therefore/ The which answered/ that she had supposed That every man had be of that condition/ By which it appeared that she never had kissed any other man But for to come to have chastity. it sufficeth not to ●●●hewe the touchings. But also soberness is greatly requred in women/   

¶ How virginity ought to be maintained capo.  
Vyrgynyte is in himself right honourable/ & maketh men & women to resemble & be like unto Aungellis. and they that been in such estate ought to maintain it right diligently For it is much hard to keep/ considered human frailness. the which is all way inclined unto sin/ but if it be kept & chastised by reason. & it is good to consider how th'ancient & old people loved ●gynyte & maydenhed long to fore the christian faith. as it appeareth by that we read in a little book entituled of ●gynyte/ in which we read that many women of rome had liefer die than lose their maydenhed. and specially of the two daughters of sedaza/ That is to weet of a good woman so named which were deffouled & enforced by ij youge men. the which were lodged in their house under the title of guests or pylgryms. & this seeing the ij daughters for displeasure hurt and ●yffygured themself with their owen knives. semblably for yke case we read how the maid called thebana for displeasure ●hat she had by cause she was deffouled & enforced finably she ●ut to death him that defoylled her & herself also. And how be it ●hat such occysious be not approved. ne●theles by the said histories it appeareth how thauncyents desireden & preysedē●gynyte For who will well consider. to live after the flesh is a thing abominable & to god dysplaysannt. as th'apostle faith in his pistle to the romans the viij chapiter. saying that they whi●e live after the flesh may not well please god Truth it is ●●at virgynte only sufficeth not. For a 'bove that them by●●●th to intend to good works/ and to this purpoos speaketh ●ynt Ambrose to demetrye in his epistle lxxxvij/ saying ●at a virgin and a maid ought to be still and simple. and ●lowe honneste company. And ought not to be vacabonnd ●●●myng about/ but the most part of time ought to keep her home in following the blessed virgin Marie· which was ●one in her house/ when th'angel salued her/ More over the ●age of a maid ought to be prudent. attempered & right short without abundance of words. In her manner & maintain she ought to be shamefast. and in all her deeds and fra●es meek and humble. For by humility the blessed virgin was most principally agreeable to god/ As witnesseth the holy scripture/ More over saint Jerome in his epistle lxxxix. in speaking to a good mo● for her doughter· said that she ought so do that her daughter should be allway diligent and busy for to work. For in idleness comynly virgyvyte & maydenhed is lost and vanysshyth. And the maidens ought to consider how virginity is such a tresonr that if it be lost. it is irrecuperable/ And therefore they ought diligently keep it/ To this purpoos saint Ambrose in his second book of virginity reciteth how in Anthyoche was a maid right fair & moche desired. And finably by force was brought to the bordel· And when she saw her there. she began to weep and to pray god saying. O good lord which of old time gavest to virgins puissance & strength to surmount & overcome the will of m●●●uche safe to keep & defend me. After this prayer came to her a knight. the which gaf to her his gown/ to th'end that 〈◊〉 might escape in thabyte of a man. & in deed she so escaped. & ●● knight in stead of her abode there in her habit. thenne came an● their knight & entered in to the same place for to commise his ●oulu●●e weening to have founden the said maid/ & he seeing that he was a man in habit of a woman. made him to be condemned to the death/ pntting on him the sin which is not to be said & finably was condemned to the death. & this seeing the say● maid presented herself to die for him. in saying that for saving of her ●gynyte he ought not to die/ but the knight ●ade that he had liefer die. than to see one so good a maid put● death/ And finably both twain were dely●d to the deth●● 〈◊〉 well doing/ were martyred/ By these examples & many ot● it appeareth how auncyently ●gynyte was much praised & 〈◊〉. in so much that the maidens that consenteden to their dereling were stoned to death as it appeareth in deuteronomy the ● chapter/ By which things it appeareth how maidenhead of himself agreeable/ not only to the world but also to god principally. And as touching this we have example of our first parents Adam and Eve/ the which as long as they were in paradies they kept virginity/   

¶ Howwydo whede aught to be kept holily capo. viij  
WEdowhede is thestate the which suceedeth to marriage and aught to be maintained in great humility. in great devotion. in simple habit. in pilgrimages. and other good ●●edes/ For in wedowhede aught the vanytres of the world to be renounced/ A●d for her party pray to th'end that the love that hath been in marriage/ be remembered and recorded in wedowhede. For it is a sign of little love and of little tronthe 〈◊〉 marriage when after that the ij parties have long lived together. after the death of one of the parties that other succeedeth/ And abandonneth her to the world in vanities and in deduytes/ And how be it that widows mary not themself I will not counsell them the contrary. and singularly when he parties have dwelled to gydre long. or the most part of heir life. And truth it is that saint Jerome approveth not he second esponsaylles/ but if ●●er have be right good cause in heir youth. allway he concludeth that it is better tesche we in by marriage. than to sin in widowhood/   

¶ How seruamutes aught to maintain them in their service capo. ix ●.  
Seruamntes in their services oughten to have dy●̄se conditions & in especial they ought to have uj conditions first they own to honour their master. secondly they own to 〈◊〉 faithfulness Thirdly truth. fourtly obeyssance. Fyft●ly ●ugence. & finably they ought to have patience in works. & 〈◊〉 touching the first condition we read in the second book of ●●ges. how joab not withstanding that he had victory of the enemies of his master. nevertheless he would that his master had th'honour. & would not take the city until his master was come. & as to the second condition that is to weet of faithfulness of servants valere reciteth in his iij book the seven chapiter how Anthonye took one of the servants of cezar his enemy. to who 〈◊〉 he said that he must leave cezar for evermore or else die And sometime by menaces & sometime by promesses he pained him that he should say that he would forsake and renon●● his master. And nevertheless the seruamnt said allway. That neither for good ne for evil that he could do to him he should never forsake ne love cezar. In like wise he reciteth of one of the servants of Cezar. the which pompeus might never induce him to his service/ As touching to truth. it is certain. that a servant being a liar deceiveth his master. And may be cause of many harms by false reports. For a lying tongue like venom empoysonneth thee house. and all the duellars therein/ More over the servants owen obeisance like as saith th'apostle in his epistle to the ephesiens the uj chapter in saying/ ye servants obey you to your masters in fere and dread. and in simplesse of heart. And it is not sufycient only to obey/ but more over it is necessary that the serruannt be diligent/ And to this purpoos saith seneque in his iij book of benefices the xiv chapter. that diligence is much sitting in servants/ And in deed he recomendeth the diligence of that servant that served his master in prison the which as dyscomforted demanded to drink poison/ To whom the servant desiring to obey not for any evil that he would to him but by ardannt desire that he had to do that diligently which his master commanded him/ it happened that by hastiness to obey him weening to have given to him the pot of poison/ he gave to him the pot of medicine/ ● by cause of this hasty diligence his master was saved yet also the servants oughten in their affairs and works to have patience/ And for their masters to endure pain And to this purpoos valere reciteth in his uj book the viij chase andpitre of the servant of papinion how he heard say that some were deputed to slay their master/ And he prayed his master that he would change with him his gown and hood. to them de. that he would be slain rather than his master. if the caas so required. & in deed he would die for his master he reciteth also of the servant of Aucyus how for his master he eudnred Innumerable pains/ It appeareth then how servants oughten to have the six conditions aforesaid/   

¶ How they that leaden evil life owen to die evil capo.x x ●.  
GOd is a true judge. And judgeth every man justly. whefor it followeth/ that he that leadeth an evil life. must die an evil death. And hereof we have many examples in this present tyme. For the little time that I have lived. I have none remembrance that an evil man hath died a good death. Truth it is that by an enyl man I mean not every man that is a sinner. but I understand him to be an evil man. that liveth continually in sin/ And in doing wrose and worse without repentanuce. and without will to amend him/ More over. if we read th'histories of time passed/ we shall fyude clearly how they that have lived evil/ been also horribly deed/ how was caym deed which slew his brother/ was he not slain of lameth which was blind and saw nothing. And nevertheless he slew him in hunting. as it appeareth in the book of genesis More over pharaoh the king of Egypte which caused to doowne the young children of the jews/ how died he. Certainly he was drowned in the red see and all his people as is appeareth the xxiv chapter of Exode. we read also how zebee and Salmana slewen the brethren of Gedeon/ but after Gedeon slew them/ as it appeareth the viij chapter of the book of judges/ Semblably Abymelech that slew lxx brethren upon one stone/ was after slain of a woman as it apprith the ix chapter of the book aforesaid/ And generelly a man that sleeth a man ought to die an evil death. Rede we not how the young man that said he had slain Saul. was afterward slain by the comandament of david. as it appeareth the second book of kings the first chapter. Semblably we read that the thieves that slewen ys●seth camen to david for to make to him feste/ but david condemned them to death. Therefore ought they to be well advised that do wrong to other. and make them to die without cause. For by th'examples aforesaid it appeareth clearly how homycides owen to die an evil death. Semblably they that been tyrannts & that grieven the people And the pour Innocentes oughten right well to be advised For it is reason that they die an evil death And to this purpoos we read how sysara which was a right cruel tyrannt was finably slain of a woman as it appeareth the iiij chapiter of the book of judges. & Saul which was a right great tyrannt and persecutor of david. after he slew himself with his proper knife as it appeareth the first book of kings the last chapter. And Benedab which was so cruel finably was beheaded by one of his serunntes by the commandemnt of god/ as it is wreton the iiij book of kings the seven chapter/ then by these examples oughten the princes and the lords take heed/ the which by their tyrannies done many evils to their subjects/ And by their cruelness make many men to die. by venegeance for to have their good. For certainly their evil life by right requireth an evil death/   

¶ How the parents & in especial the father and mother oughten diligenly think on their children capo. xjᵒ.  
THe parents and singularly father and mother oughten busily to thinken on their children. And to do pain by good doctrine and by good teachings that they be by good doctrine instruct And taught ingood manners For as Aristotle saith in his viij book of ethyques. the father is to his son cause of his nouryssing & cause of his discipline by the which words it sufficeth not only that the father be cause of his children by generation. but more over he ought to nourish and teach them. And to the same purposes saith the wise man in the book of ecclesiastyke the seven chapter. ¶ Si filii tibi sunt erudi illos/ That is to say if thou have children/ thou oughtest to teach them. And in the ꝓuerbes saith the wise man the twenty-three chapter. ¶ Noli subcrahere a puero disciplinam That is to say that thou oughtest to take heed that thou empesh ne let not the child fro his doctrine and his teaching/ And to this purposes saith th'apostle in his epistle to the hebrews the xij chapter. ¶ Quis inquit filius. quem non corripiet pater/ q· d. nullus/ That is to say. who is that son who me the father shall not correct/ as who saith none. For th'apostle saith that every tader ought to correct his son. & hereto acoordeth that which polycrate reciteth in his uj book the iiij chapter saying/ that the Emperor octavian made his sons to be taught and texcersyse feats chivalrous. And his daughters he made to be taught to work wool. to that end that they might live by their labour in caas that fortune failed them/ & tullius in his questions tusculans reciteth how the king lygurgiss taught his young children for tendure evil and harm. and to know the good. For the children ensue gladly and follow the doctrine that is given to them in their youth. like as Seneke saith in his first book of Ire. Therefore saith th'apostle to theplesyens the uj chapter. ¶ Educas illos. S. filios in disciplina et correctione dni/ That is to say that they that have children ought to enseyne &/ teach them by discipline and by good correction intending to good. And to this purpose we read the first book of kings how hely was right grievously punished by cause he chastised not well his children/ And therefore saith Tnllius in his first book of offices the xxxvij chapter. that the best heritage that father and mother may leave to their children. that is that they be garnished of good manners. of virtues/ and of good custommes/   

How children own obeyssance and honour to their parent's capo. xij ●.  
THe children/ that is to weet sons & daughters owen t'obey to their parents like as the th'apostle saith to the Ephesiens' the uj chapter. ¶ filii obedite parentibus uris That is to say. ye children obey ye unto your parents. and the wise man saith in his ecclesiastic. who that honoureth his father. shall live the longer life. More o● the children ought to love parfyghtly their father and mother. and in need succour them like as scipion died. the which put himself in peril of death for to save his father/ And also Aeneas for to deliver his father passed by the mids of his enemies. For nature endyned 'em so to do. More o● of this love we have examples in Nature/ For as saith saint Ambrose in his exameron the vomelye/ The storks been of such condition that they succour their parents when they been anucyent and old. And recover them with thyr wings & feathers. & support them in fleeing And also administer to them their noureture. and their necessity. And to this purpoos saith valere in his v book the iiij chapiter/ that the first law nature is to love the parents. And reciteth of the good daughter. the which seeing her mother in prison and condemned to death e●y day she visited her. and with her own milk nourished her/ Thenne was the geayler much admarveled. how the said mother lived so long. seen that he administered no thing to her. ne her daughter also. For the jailer had not suffered her other wise to enter to her mother thenne the jailer an a time espied how the daughter gave coher mother to suck on her breasts. & recounted it to the judge of the country. the which seeing the love & bounty of the daughter. pardoned the mother/ and delivered her to her daughter for the bounty of her· Mere over valere reciteth of the good dough● the which nourished her father in his great old age with her milk. also he reciteth of Croesus'/ the which was dumb & might not speak. & it so happened that persian would have slain his father/ and he pained him to speak/ and wept by cause he might not speak & say it to his father. And th'history saith that for his bounty. language was give to him/ And therefore saith valere. ¶ Quicquid optima rerum est natura. que pietatis est magistra/ That is to say/ that nature is a right good thing/ the which is mistress of pity. Also he reciteth of cornelian the which was bannysshed fro Rome/ And finably he conquered the signory of Rome/ vulques enemy of Rome came against the romans with right great puissance/ for to venge him of his banishment. & that seeing the romans they sent to him his mother the which dwelled in Rome/ for to pray him that he would forbear for her sake. the which seeing his mother. was anon appeased and obeyed to the prayer of her. in saying. that more hath done the love of my mother/ than hath done the strength of the romans. For as Aristotle saith ¶ Dijs. magistris. et parentibus. non possimus red●●re ad condignum/ That is to say that noman may yield ne render to god. to his master/ ne to his parents like byenfait as he hath received/ And to this purpoos speaketh Ravenne saying. that like as the son without benies or rays shineth not & the well or fountain without running tarrieth. Tree without branuches weareth dry. and a body without membres roteth/ In like wise a child without love of father and mod●r is none child/ but of the number of them the which is w●●ton in the gospel. ¶ Vos ex patre diabolo estis/ That is to say ye be children of the devil your father. For the children of the devil can not obey ne have love ne charity. but the children of god been of contrary condition And hereof we have an example of Ihu christ. of whom is wreton in. the gospel of seyn● Luke the second chapter. ¶ Erat autem subdit● illis/ That is to say that Ihu christ was subject to his parents/   

¶ Of th'estate of Marchanntes capo. xiij ●.  
Marchamndyse ought faithfully to be governed & maintained without fraud & without vsure. For other wise it is not merchandise. but it is deceyte· falsehood. & evil. And therefore it is wreton in exode the xij chapter. ¶ Nec usura opprimes proximum tuum/ that is to say that noman ought to oppress his neighbour by vsure. & like sentence is wreton in leviticum the xxuj chapter/ & the prophet saith that they shall be with him. that lean not their money to vsure. and that love truth. that missay not of other. & that live without doing evil to other. To this purpoos speaketh saint Ambrose in his in book of offices. & adressyth his words to marchannts saying/ wherefore convertest thou thine engine to fraud/ wherefore desirest thou hur●e to thine neyhbours. wherefore desirest thou famyve/ or wherefore desirest thou skarcete or. wherefore espiest thou the time of dearth or scelerite/ certes thou sayest. thou art subtle thyself. but this to do/ or to desire is no subtylt●● but shrewdenes & evil. And that which thou callest pour●ean̄ce is fraud covetise & vsure. More over saint Iohn Grysostome upon the gospel of saint matthew in his vomelye saith that there is no thing more foul ne more cruel/ that is the usurer/ the which secheth allway his own prosperity In thadversity of other/ And tullius in his first book of questions tustulanes compareth the usurer to the homicide/ For like thomage taketh away the life. So done the usurers taken a way the substance fro the power people/ Thenne aught the marchamntes to take more heed to faithfulness & truth. than to habundamnce For the goods evil gotten been witness of the perdition of the soul of him that hath evil gotten them. and it sufficeth not in merchandise t'eschew vsure/ but more over to maintain truth in weight & in measure. and in all other things that appertain to merchandise. For as the wise man saith in his proverbs the xx chapiter. god hath in abomination evil weight & balances fraudously used/ And saint Matthew in his gospel the uj chapter saith that god shall justify the balance & the weight deceivable. and them that been rich by their sins & losings. And shall yield thereof reason. And there for it was commanded in the old law as it is wreton in leviticn. the nineteen chapiter. that all merchandise should be made truly in weight and in measure/ bushels and quarters. and in all other things semblably. And every merchant ought to know that by the moyen of fraud they may not were rich/ seen that their conquest by such moyen is not only to themself. but it is the charge of the soul as said is. And the evil merchants been semblable to fenyx the which assembleth all his buchettis & styc●is in the high mountain/ and finably the fire inflameth them. and the fenix is brent in the mids of them In like wise the untrue merchants. assemblen the richesses evil gotten in the mountain of their pride. And finably burn by covetise in middle of their goods. Also by cause that it is said that in merchandise ought loyaulte and truth to be maintained. but some may demand if it be of necessity/ that the marchannt cellar say to the bier all the defaults that he knoweth in that thing which he will sell/ This question was made anncyently between dyogenes and Antipater his disciple/ And by maver of disputation said dyogenes. that him seemed it should be folly in the merchant to blame his merchandise. And antipater said it is no folly. but it was faith fulues and loyalty. For otherwise he should deceive his neyhbour. And shortly this dysputacon reciteth tullius in his in book of offices the xij chapter. & in ansuering to this question lx saith that diogenes defendeth utylite. And Antypater maintaineth honest/ & by cause that honest is more worth than profit or utylite. consequently it followeth that the merchant ought not to hide ne cover the default of his merchandise/ For as the wise man saith in ecclesiastyke the xxxj chapit●● the merchants oughten to treat their merchandise in adressyng each other in truth and in faithfulness/   

¶ Of the state of pilgrimages capo. xiv  
THis present life is a right pilgrimage. For as the pilgrim gooth always without rest in any place long whereof is made mention. In like wise the life of a man 〈◊〉 not long in this world/ and hath nothing of assurance/ and this wituesseth to us th'apostle saying. that we have here 〈◊〉 city permanent ne abiding/ Truth it is that they be not pylgryms/ that of this world maken their paradise/ the which oughten to consider. how abraham by the comandament of god departed fro his country and went & dwelled in a strange country. And thenne god gaf to him his blessing/ as it appeareth in the book of genesis the xij chapter. by this example is signified to us how not withstanding That we be in this world here bodily/ nevertheless in esperyte we ought to god above by good works/ and for to maintain good life. And to this pilgrimage we be called For like as we see that the tree transporteth fro short to high by his growing. In like wise a man that transporteth his heart fro this world. in to the other groweth more lightly in good life & in virtues. And to this purpoos said Ihu christ that noman is accept for a prophet in his owen country. so thenne every man ought to god in to a strange country. and it is none other thing to say but that in this world which is our country been none other but pylgryms ꝓuffyting fro good to good/ & fro virtue to virtue the which ought not to cease to go ne to ꝓuffyte/ till that they be at term desired/ that is to wite in heaven. More over we ought to advise how the pylgryms acompten & reckon every day with their hosts. In like wise we ought/ every day to advise and take heed how we live & pay to god our debts in knowledging our trespasses. As died an Ancient wise man named septimus. of whom reciteth seneke in his in book of Ire. how every day he accounted and took heed of how much his life was impaired or amended And also it is good to consider/ how and how long the life of a person endureth And how it lasseth and shorteth/ be it in slepyug or waking all way our life lasseth/ And nothing proffyteth to us the time passed. but in that we have done well and gotten virtues in the grace of god. Therefore saith maximian. that the time draweth after him all things mortal/ And as the heaven turneth/ semblably our life runneth after it without cessing and without resting/ For such is the nature of the death of a creature. And to this purpose & philosopher named secundus demandeth what it is of a man. And he ansuerth that be is none other thing but a fantase that soon passeth a way. And he saith afterward that a man is the vessel of death. a pilgrim without rest. host of the earth/ And worms meet. Then aught every man upon this saying advise him/ & moche humble himself of what estate he be of. For princes/ kings/ prelate's. bourgeys. and merchants and generally all people been of short life. & all of mortal condition/ And therefore saith plynyus in his uj book. that not withstanding that a man be most parfyght. among all mortal creatures. Nevertheless his life is most miserable/ most dangerous/ and subject to moste greatest thought/ For nature gyneth to beasts horns to defend them. hide & here for their vesture/ feeling to nourish them wings for the flee. & also of other necessities for pourneaunce to all beasts. but a man is born naked without feeling without strength. without vesture. without knowledge/ And without defence/ Our life thenne hath right little beginning. And the continuance endureth right grievously. For after the measure that the knowledge cometh. the thought groweth & increaseth. And the man waxeth the more melancolyo●. that hath in his condition more very and parfyght knowledge. For if a man liveth in misery. thenne he waxeth melancolyo● by cause of his necessity. And if the man be in prosperity. Then his joy shall be moche little. if he consider/ how his fortune shall not endure long/ For as valere saith in his ix book. Man's life is a course moche little and hard to pass/ For in the way is none other thing but poverty and misery. And if there be any good or well. he is all way in peril of fortune adverse. or of natural death. & boece in his iij book of consolation. in speaking to the rich man saith thus. thou wilt be praised and renowned above other. but advise the in what peril thou art/ For the death approacheth to thee/ And in thy fortune is no surety/ And therefore saith maximian. O life human that thou art miserable/ For thou art allway in peril of death/ thou art without ●urete/ thou art nothing stable. & finably in speaking of himself saith. Alas where been become the goods of time passed/ In stead of lawhyuge now I weep/ my joy is turned in to heaviness. Then is it f●lye for a man to affy and trust in fortune. ne in the life human. For naturally all demand ●yne. More over late us inquire and demand where been they becomen that have lived so playsannly in this world. And me seemeth that the great. middle and little/ death hath put in his ●●bgectōn. is not Octavian deed/ and Croesus which were so rich/ Solomon the wise. Samson the st●roge. David the loyal/ Holofernes the greannt/ and all other Puissannt conquerors. hath not death desconfyted them/ By which it appeareth that the life is uncertain/ short. and miserable/ And therefore noman ought in his life have great faith ne hope. For the death cometh comynly/ when a man weeneth to regne most high and long in his great puyssance and strength/   

¶ How all deadly sins desyren the death capo. xv  
deadly sinew maketh a man to die. seen that the ancients were pylgryms/ & to this purpoos we read how plato went on pilgrimage in to egypt for to learn the scy●uce of astrology/ as Policrate saith in his in book. And pictogoras for to learn truth went in to ind. & after was in egypt and in babylone. as reciteth Polycrate in his iij book. The children also of abraham were iiij Cpilgryms And after was given to them the land of ꝓmyssyon. By the which things that we ought to live as pylgryms/ if we will come unto perfection. Truth it is. that he is not a pilgrim. that all way hath his heart on the country that he cometh tw/ And to this purpose we read how a man sometime demananded of socrates/ why his pilgrimages profited no thing to him/ the which answered to him/ that the cause was for as much/ as not withstanding that his body went/ nevertheless his heart removed not/ whereby it appeareth that the pilgrimages ought not to be done only with the body. but with the lxrte and with good will/ And as touching to the pilgrimage of the soul. it is inpossible to do it well. but if the heart be dispoylled of worldly affections/ For the sins let the pilgrim to do well. For as we see that great burdens. great heaviness of body. great fattens/ great age. and great sickness let ten the pilgrim to do his pilgrimage. In like wise the burden of covetise/ the heaviness of our sloth/ the fatuesse of our delights. & the old age of our sins let our pilgrimage and our salvation also/ For all these things let us to go and accomplish our pilgrimage/    

¶ Here followeth the v book. the which treateth of death. and how noman ought to glorify him of his estate  

¶ First it speaketh how the life is short/ and ot lityl enduring capo. primo  
IOb saith that a man is of short life/ the which is full of misery and poverty. For like as the flo●r vanisheth away. and as the shadow fleeth fro place to place. Right so the life of a man passeth shortly and right lightly. By which it appeareth that noman ought to glorify himself of his tr●yteth eusebt● in his chronicles. how many have slain themself for cause of the annoyance of this present life. as he that slew him for pain that he had of the fe●●●rtayne. & lu●sse also because she reputed herself dishonoured & truth is it that no ●so ne aught to slay himself as saith saint Austyn in his book of the city of god. & reproveth them that have slain themself. as they that been aforesaid named. ne●theles by the said histories it altereth how this present life is moche ennoyo●. & not only to them that be in ad●site. but also to every good creature which desireth parfyghtly heaven is this life noyo●. seen that this corporal life is but greuo● to them that desire e●lastyng life. & by ●sequ●̄t 〈◊〉 deserveth death bodily that sinneth mortally. but many there been that set no thing of many sp●●es. not withstanding they be greuo● & weighty. & yet they ought to be advised & cō●y●●● how sometime many have be slain & deed by cause of sy●e th●t they daily comyse & also right comynly s●ede we not that because of lechery that god made all the world to die by the flood. except Noah his wife. & his children. as it is wreton to the book of genesis the seven chapiter. wherefore were srayn 〈◊〉 people of the tribe of bemamyn. but for the lechere which was commised in the wife of the levity. as it appe●th in the ij chapiter of judicum. & many other also were evilly put to death/ as I have rehereed in the second book in the chapiter of luxury More ou we read in holy scripture how many sometime were slain & deed by cause of dy●ce sins. the which been on this day small and light reputed/ Ne read we not how sometime who somever blesphemed god/ he was stoned to d●th of the people as it appeareth the twenty-three chapter of the book of levyticum. Alas on this day the name of god is blasphemed without dread or fere of his punition/ & as saint Austyn saith. many been hardy to trespass by cause that god delayeth their puny●ōn. But the time shall come that the pain shall be so much more greno●/ As the delay shall be more long we read also that Golyas blasfemed the name of god. But david which was then a child slew him with his own sword as it appeareth thee first book of kings the xvij chapiter. More over we read how many were sometime dead by cause of inobedience/ & other by cause of murmur/ & many other by cause of ravin or of ne chygence/ & nevertheless. the time is now in which the creatures human set but little for to obey god. Murmur. & detraction reigneth in these days in the world/ & to all manner sins the people been all inclined. Thenne we ought to be advised how sometime many died and were slain for cause of such sins as we daily do & use And to this purpoos we read how the children of Aaron were brent & devoured of the fire by cause they offered of the fire in the temple against the will of god as it appeareth the & chapiter of levyticum wherefore swallowed the earth chore dathan & abyron. but for as much as they murmured against moyses as it appeareth the xuj chapiter of the book of numbers. wherefore was Herod smitten & slain of his enemies. but for he would apꝓpre to himself the lovings of god as it appeareth the xij chapiter of the acts of thappostles/ wherefore was anamas & sapphire stoned to death. but for as much as they fraudelently took away the goods which were ordained to the service of god. as it appeareth in the same book the 〈◊〉 chapiter/ Olord god if thou now punysshest semblably them that trespass. I believe that there should be much few sinners. & that many should much dread god. which now daily do evil But as the scripture saith. god suffereth sinners to live to th'end that they conite them fro their sins/ & when they live long/ without converting themself. so moche more been they heavy/ & of their negligence so much greatly shall they be punished Truth it is that some foolish people say oft-times. that they live long by cause they be shre wish & evil. & also they have an hope to length their life/ by cause they be evil & shrews by evil dooyug But that is a foolish hope For they ought to consy●●re and behold the foolish thoughts/ And that for such hope they deserve the death & been Indigue And unworthy to have the time/ in which they may amend them. they ought also to right well advise them how the same god that punished the Anncyent people which were in the old tyme. the same self god without any help may at all times pugnysshe them if it please him And when he forbeareth of his grace. it is for to advise us the better. It is a great unkindness for to do the wrose/ for to ween to live the more lenger● and thereby to length his life/ O ingratitude or vukynd●nesse/ thou art cause that many lose their graces. which god grannteth to them that would amend them. Therefore ought every man know and remember the grace that god hath done to them/ when he hath suffered them long to live. For after the measure the life is more long. the sins been the more great/ when a man liveth without correction. & without amendment. Alas we ought to cousydere how for every sin we deseruedeth. as it is to fore said. wherefore died he●p. but by cause ●e was negligent for to chastise his children as it appeareth the first book of kings the x chapter. wherefore was absalon slain. but for his pride. when he would have occupied the ●eyame of his father/ as it appeareth the ij book of kings the xviij chapter. we read also how balthazar was right evil & therefore he died an evil death. as danyel reciteth in his uj chapter/ wherefore died archicofel hang himself. but by cause that he was in despair by cause of the falls connseyl that he died against david as it is wreton the ij book of kings the xvij chapiter also they that falsely witnessed against danyel were not they devoured of the lions. wherefore were they horribly slain that witnessed falsely against susane. but by cause they falsely accused her. Therefore they that unreasonably sin/ they deserve death as it is aforesaid   

¶ How no man ought to doubt ne fere the death capo. iijᵒ.  
GOd sane them that love him & serve him/ For in the gospel he promiseth that they shall never perish. To this purpoos faith the proohete. just & true men shall live perdurably. and shall flourish as a palm. By reason also they that go the right way shullen arrive at a good port/ They thenne that lyven justly shall die of a good death Truth it is that we read some histories apocryfats and not approved. the which say that sometime many good hermits lyveden all their lives holily. And nevertheless in th'end by vain glory or for other sin they died not well. But saving the reverence of them that have wreton such histories/ as me seemeth they be not tree we/ but contrived/ For it may not be that god suf●reth not a man to mespryse ne to sin at the point of death. which all his life hath lived and served him devoutly. But it might so be that many have showed all their lives to be good and devout/ which were nothing so/ the which died evil & no good death/ & that is no marvel For ypocrysye is a sin that well deserveth to die an evil death. But of them that be good without faintise/ I may not believe such histories/ For the good life. deserveth a good death. & to this purpose we have many examples autentikes and approved. by the which it appeareth/ how the good people deyde well and holily Rede we not how moyses singular serunnt of our lord right worthily/ and by the commandment of god. And the scripture saith that god buried him as it appeareth in the book of deuteronomy/ Semblably we read how helye the prophet was right gloriously lift up in to paradies. for he being nigh his d●th there appeared a cart and horse clear as fire de●oendyng fro heaven. which took him and transported him in to paradise terrestre/ As it appeareth the iiij book of kings/ how died also job the good and patient/ Certayuly we read that after the torments and tribulations. which he endured without sin/ And suffered much patiently he lived C xl year/ and died well and holily/ Also saint Paul said I desire the death for to be with Ihu christ/ Truth it is that his desire presupposed the will of god. For other wise ought none to desire. it. & how be it that many love this life & the world also/ to be founded in folly ne in evil advice/ for as th'apostle saith we have here in this world no city perdurable. but we ought to inquire & get the city of heaven. by which it appeareth that many be deceived that always would live here. For they desire that which may not be naturally/ their desire also gayn●●yen to their salvation. & therefore saith terena● in his iiij book that people of great courage haten this life. & doubt nothing the death. & therefore thou oughtest not to procure thy death ne ab●redge thy life unduly/ But thou oughtest desire the life to come in such wise that this life be not to the as a paradies in thine heart or as thy last trust. And take heed to the ●lepha●● the which when he sleepeth. leaneth to a tree. & thenne comen the hunters which cutten the tree. & so the olyphaiit falleth 〈◊〉 taken & slain/ In like wise it happeth to than 〈…〉 trust in this present life. for the time shall come that their 〈◊〉 te shall all be lost. and also they shall see. that it is a little thy●● of the life of this world/ & me seemeth that it were good that a man should remember fro the day of his birth unto the day of his death/ he should find that the day of his death should be me●e worthy than the day of his birth/ for a man is born in sin ● if he will he may die in grace. the day of his birth is the 〈◊〉 of his entry in to misery. tribulation. & in afflyxionn. but that the death is more worthy it appeareth. for a man is born all ignorant & without knowledge. but at his death/ thenne comynly a man knoweth god & himself/ thenne is that the day that 〈◊〉 hath most very repentance. wherefore it appeareth that the day of the death is more happy comynly than the day of his birth. & there fore many wise men have redeyved the death Ioyous●y. & to th●s purpoos said mercury to a man I would said he if it pleased god that I were quite on't of this world. to th'end that my soul were lift up above in to heaven. & certainly we read how plato made sometime a new book named phedron in which he proveth & showeth how a reasonable soul ought aff this life to have heaven. the which book empedocles studied moche 〈◊〉 & when he apperceived that the soul was ordained for to have such a good then he despised much this life/ & mounted upon an high wall/ For which he fill for to short his life for to get & have heaven/ & how be it that his opinion is not good ne approved. nevertheless by the said history it appeareth that he that intendeth to have heaven. aught little to praise his life/   

¶ How yet noman ought to doubt the death capo. iiij  
I It appeareth yet by seneke in his book of remedies of fortune. in which he saith. that it is folly to deed that which cometh of nature. and that one may not eschew. And therefore in his uj book of questions naturel. he himself s●y●h that the wise man ought not to doubt the death. ne the things also by which he may die by honour. For the knights ought not to fere ne doubt battle founded by right and in reason. And the wise man ought not to hide the truth/ supposed that therein be peril of death/ And to this purpose saith varro in his sentences/ That he is a fool that doubteth the death For he taketh two pains for one/ That is to weet the death. and the dread which may no thing profit to him but increase his pain/ And therefore saith seneke in his iij book of questions naturel/ It is a little thing saith he of the life of a man. But 'tis a great thing when a man may & can despise his life/ For then shall he be sure in see and on land in ba●ayll/ And in all peryllis/ then aught every man to desire to die without dread as afore is. said. Now would god that the rich men of this world would take heed hereto. for thenne should they little doubt the death. & little love their goods seen they must needs leave all/ & therefore saith seneke in one of his epi●tles wherefore weepest thou. when the behooveth. & must needs die. for as much fool is he that would live all the time to come. as he to whom it d●splayseth by cause he hath not lived all the time passed and to this purpoos recounteth valere in his uj book how the king lazuriat● died do crucify a man named theodore. by cause he had reproved him of certain evil ●●s that he had done/ And then theodre being on the cross said. I had as leef said he die on high on the cross. as to die low on the earth And therefore saith lucan in his viij book. that no man ought to doubt the death. seen that it is the last pain and the end of all mystrye. Of which death speaketh a philosopher named secundus One demandeth what thing is death and he answered and saith that it is the dread of rich men/ The desire of pour men/ The joy of wise men. And the end of pain/ And Macrobe in his first book of the dream of scypion/ saith that weary philosophy is to think on the death Truth it is that there be ij manners of death/ And the one death is named the death of the soul. when it is without virtues. & that death ought every man moche to doubt. for it maketh the soul Indygne & unworthy of all good. that other death is said corporell the which no wise man ought to doubt & to this purpoos saith seneke. that it is a thing much miserable not for to know to die. & they that can not die. been they that ne● dispose them for to die. but in deed they have a foolish hope to live always. Against them speaketh the sentence saying that the death is the desire of wise men. reciting how one named zenomanus purchased his own death. weening the better for to live after his life. & how be it that noman ought semblably to doo● Nei●theles it appeareth by that noman ought to doubt the death/ & to this purpoos reciteth zenohon how Cyrus died saying. My friends & my children. when I shall be deed. ween ye not that I god in to a new country. for mine heart hath allway been in that other world. & for so much when I shall be deed I shall be alle way in the country in which I was tofore. by the which history appeareth. how the wise men ought allway to have their hearts on the other world. therefore saith quitilian● in his iiij to be it is a thing moche desyro● to come for to see day & the hour. that a man is given & dely●d to his maker. & ꝓsꝑ in his book Epigramanton saith/ that after the death shall be joy without end/ light without darkness/ will all one/ hell the without malady. joy without annoy or grevamnce. And therefore men ought little to dread the death/   

¶ How to think on the death is a thing much profitable capo.v v ●.  
THe wase man in the xxxvin chapiter of ecclesiastic/ saith remember the of the last days. that is to say of thy death. and thou shalt never sin. For a man that thinketh he must needs die. hath a dread to trespass & do a miss and setteth little by the world and by himself. And also he is all cooled of the vanities and of all worldly plasances/ And to this purpoos tullius in his first book of his questions tusculans allegeth socrates. the which saith that the life of philosophers is for to think on the death. Semblably saith platon as recounteth Alephareus in his book of the division of philosophy. Seneke also in his xuj epistle saith that a man becometh frank and free by thinking of the death. For that causeth to asche we sin. of which cometh all servitude. and anciently & of old time when themperours were crowned it was demanded of them in what place they would be buried & thenne they assigned the place of their burying/ & this custom was ordained to th'end that they should remember their death for tesche we pride/ as it is recounted in the life of saint johun the Amener. Saint gregore in his ix book of morals saith that when a man is tempted. the sovereign remedy is to think on the death/ And in his xxj book he hath the same purpoos giving an example of them that sailed on the see. the which left plays. and esbatements when they saw the tempest of the see come. Semblably is it of them that thinken on the death Truth it is that by this thinking no man ought to anger himself. but he ought well to advise him. For they that been angry been they that overmuch loven this world And the other do not so. but rejoice as it is aforesaid/ More over thou oughtest to know that to think on the death maketh a man humble. For the death shall make us all equal. And there shall be no difference between the power and the rich when the body shall be rotten and asshen/ as witnesseth seneke in his epistle lxxxv. To this purpose saith the wise man in his book of ecclesiastyke the v chapter/ All naked I am born. and all naked I shall return in to th'earth. Thenne me seemeth that it should be a moche profitable thing. the consideration of the d●th by the which a man becometh humble & knoweth his fragylite. And certainly who that would well think how the life is short. And how the death is nigh. be should be much diligent to do well. For the time shall come that a man shall not mow do well. And to this purpoos saith th'apostle in his last chapter ad galathas/ late us do well as long as we may And sith we have the time and season. as who would say/ that the time shall come. that we shall not mow do well/ That is to were after the death. And to this purpoos we read an history of a young man the which considering that all we must need die. he entered in to religion for tamende his life. whereof his father was much sorrowful & angry/ And came to him for entreat him to return to the world/ the which answered that gladly he would recorne. with that he would chānge one of the custommes of the country. then the father answered/ that he would change gladly the custom/ seen that he had right great piussance in the country. And desired to wete what custom it was. And the son said to his father that ye would take a way this custom. that is to were that no young people die/ but only the old. For ye know well that the custom of your country is that the young people die as well as the old And therefore I am entered in the religion/ For I wore never when I shall dey. The which word considering. The father departed all confused/ and left his son duelling in religion/ the which son had moche well considered the word of Ihu tryst saying. wake he and advise you well. For ye know not the hour when god shall come and call you. as reciteth saint Matthew in his iiij chapiter. And me seemeth that our present life may be compared to a Royame's. of which recounteth valere. how sometime was a Royame's. the which every year made a new king. And as long as the year dured. the king was maintained in great estate and in great richesses. But assoon as the year was passed. he was despoiled all naked/ & bamnysshed on't of the Royame's. And for his salayre they gave to him but an egg only. And it happened that there was one king among the other. which advised him that in the year that he should be king. he should send of his richesses enough in to a strange contrry for to live in time coming. & for to maintain his estate/ sith he should be banished by the manner aforesaid/ we aught then take example of this king for to do well as long as welyve. For the time shall come when we shall be banished on't of this world/ and all naked sent hens Tixnne we ought in the time of our life to make purveyance of good works. And send them in to a stramnge country. that is to say/ in to heaven/ There ought we to make our treasure as Ihu christ admonesteth us. that we should make our treasure in the heaven. For there is no manner of peril ne of thieves ne of persecutors. ne of thing that may grieve. So then ought every man acquire and get the Royame's of heaven/ & that to do we should make diligence/ if we think and remember. how in short time us behooveth to die/   

¶ How noman ought to be curious of his scpulture capo. vᵒ  
SEpulture curyor● may be signefyamnce of pride and of vanity. And singularly when a man in his life do make and ordain it curyonsly/ And taketh therein vain glory. & vain pleasure. And in so doing he putteth his soul in great peril. And if thou sayest. that thou dooyst it only to th'end that the people pray for thee/ when they shall see thy portraiture/ Thereto I answer to the. that in my life I have seen many sepultures but I have not apperceyed that the people is moved to devotion/ or to pray to god by cause of them/ but I have well seen moche people behold advise. and jangle by cause of such sepultures. And me seemeth it is nothing advenannt. ne appertaineth not to a sinful creature to have a sepulture so curious ne so enhannced/ as many men have/ For I suppose that it is more to their damnation/ than to thyr salvation. all way I say not but thou mayst in some manner ordain for thyself a sepulture according to the seat that it ap●●teyneth to thee/ But keep the well/ that thou therein take no pride. For more sitting should it be that such goods were employed to shrine the bodies of saints. the which thou hast employed to a sepulture for the which art a syancer. and unworthy to be enhanced above th'earth hallowed. And to this purpose speaketh saint Anstyn in his book of them that be passed out of this world. How the glorious saints of the heaven have not wretched of their sepultures. For some have be brent/ some drowned/ other beheaded. and other delivered to hounds and to beestis/ And certainly the sepulture served more to disport of them that live than it doth to the praising of god. reproufyt of them that be deed like as witnesseth saint austin m his book of the city of god the xi ij chapter. And to the same purpoos we read in the second book of vicas patram. how some time a good man saw an evil man moche honourably buried. and had a right curyo● sepulture/ And he sa we a good man thrown in to the field and eaten of beasts. wherefore this said good man was angry/ Thenne an angel aperid to this man that was angry& said to him. My friend be nothing angry. For the curious sepulture is for payment of the evil man if he have in his living done any good/ But the good man which was eaten of the hounds is wholly rewarded in heaven. by which it appeareth. that the curiosity of seputures is not profitable. & certainly we read how dyogenes commanded that after his death. his body should be delivered to the birds and to beasts to eat. And when it was demanded the reason wherefore. he answered that the beasts after his death should do to him none harm/ thaugh they tore & despieced all his body And it should do great good to the beasts to take of him their nature. & it is better so to do than do put it in th'earth for to rote. Also Tullius recounteth in his first book of questions tul enlanes. And semblably he reciteth how one demanded a philosopher named Azagovas' in what place he would that his body should be buried The which answered that he was content of all the places of the world. we read also how a tryannt menaced a philosopher named theodre. that he would deliver his body to the beasts/ the which answered that after his death he retched nothing of any sepulchre ne of such vanities. As seneke recounteth the xviij chapter of the book of tranquylite of courage. And pompeius in his iij book reciteth how the king lir●irgis comamnded that after his death he should be thrown in to the see/ Anciently also many men would that their bodies should be eaten/ And certainly saint Jerome in his book against Ionynyen/ reciteth how the people called messengers had a custom to eat their parents. For it was better as they said that they should eat them than the worms/ And how be it that it is a cuyl opinion. Nevertheless by the things abovesaid it appierith how the ancient people were nothing curious of their sepultures. truth it is a thing reasonable for to require that is body be buried in plaee hallowed/ For sometime the prayers that be said in hallowed places been right profitable And to this purpoos saint Austyn in his book of them that be passed out of this world reciteth how a good woman died do bury her son in the church of a martyr. in hope that the presence of the martyr shall be much profitable to the soul of her son. And in deed by the prayers of the martyr his soul was much alleged of his pain and was anon saved. As fyvably was shewede to the said good woman. By which it appeareth that how be it that curiosity of sepulture be but little necessary/ Nevertheless hallowed place is for to be demanded reasonable. And therefore some auncyents were much diligent for to be buried in place reasonable. Rede we not how Abraham right diligently bought a field for to bury therein his wife For he would not that she were buried in any earth but in his owen as it appeareth the xxij chapter of genesis. And jacob required his son joseph that he might be buried with his parents/ as it appeareth the xliiij chapter of genesis. And of Moses we read. how when he passed out of egypt. he transported the bones of joseph in to the land of promyssson for to leye them with his parents as it appeareth in Exode the xiv chapter/ & know thou that not only thou oughtest to think of thy sepulture. but also it is a thing much reasonable for to bury the bodies of the pour people. & hereof we read how the anngel much recommended thobye by cause he was so much diligent for to bury and bring in earth/ the bodies of the deed people as it appeareth in the first and second chapters of his book. And semblably ought much to be praised joseph a Nychodemus which were diligent for to bury the body of Ihu christ as it appeareth the xxvij chapter of saint Matthew. by which things thou mayst well apperceive/ how for to bury other/ thou oughtest to be right diligent and attendannt/ But of thine own sepulture thou oughtest to take little heed and not be curious/   

¶ How a person ought to think on the day of doom cap.o. seven  
If thou think on the judgement final. thou shalt be much afferd for to dod evil as it is shewede to us by experience of moche people. that left to do evil for free of justice. And if thou demand of me when shall be the day of Ingement/ I ansuere to the as doth saint Austyn in his sermon that he made of the Innocentes. the which ansuerth to the same question sayengthat the day of doom shall be. as who saith now. or anon. For as th'apostle saith in a moment and at one stroke shall th'angel sown the trump. and all shall arise & come to the judgement. There shall be moche abashed they that shall be in sin For nothing shall avail thenne to weep. ne none shall mow do thing that may ꝓuffyte to his salvation The prayers of saints shall not thenne mow help the. therefore thou oughtest whilst thou here livest wisely to advise the for thenne thou shalt see thy faith & thy sentence to fore thine eyen there shall be thine enymyes that shall accnse thee/ & shall demand the. To whom thou shalt be delivered without remission for e● more. And Hugh saith in his book of the Ark of Noah the viij chapter/ that the elements and all creatures that have done to the service shall demand justice of thee/ The earth shall say I have born thee/ I have nourished the. The water shall say I have refreshed the and have comforted the. and in like wise all creatures shall reproach the of their benefits. in saying that they never served the but to th'end that thou sh●lcest serve god/ whom thou hast not served. And therefore we demannde reason of the. as of him that hath evil known the goods that god hath done for him. But thou mayst say that the day of judgement shall not come yet in a great tyme. And there to I answer the and say that the tokens and signs of the day of doom been almost accomplished. ne see we not how lechery reigneth. the which sometime was cause of no's flood & of the perdition of the world. & me seemeth that lechery semblably may give to us cause to doubt that the day of doom be nigh/ For in marriage is little loyalty or truth. In people of the church little chastity. of whom speaketh th'apostle in his epistle to the ephesiens saying. that lecherous people shall have no part in the Royame's of heaven/ More I answer to the and say that many other signs been accomplished. For the son and the Moon have lost their clearness/ And the sternes been fallen fro heaven/ And there is none other thing to speak of but it is come. For the church which ought to light all the world like as the son/ is now in these days darked. & in many manners entatched with vices. And the moan. that is to weet the seygnorye temporal is now in this time eclipsed and full of pride and of tyranny/ And the stars. that ●s to say the clerks the prechours & the counselors been fallen from heaven/ For they have left to say truth for tensye we and follow flattery/ By which it appeareth that the signs & tokens of the day of doom and last judgement been enough accomplished. And if thou demand me if antichrist be come/ I ansuere to the that whether he be come or not come Nevertheless many be living that do the works of antichrist. and that may well be called his disciples/ For they been false dissymplers & evil procrytes. and of such men antichrist shall be/ truth it is that some may say that the day of doom may be known naturally/ to whom I answer. that it is nothing so. For god hath not showed it to man ne to anngel. as it appeareth in the book of th'acts of thappostles/ and the same Witnesseth saint Austyn in the first verse of the seven psalms. but not withstanding that in following some auctorytres & reasons may in this matter some thing be said without to determine any thing/ For god is he only that may determine the day and hour of the judgement as it pleaseth him Thenne it should seem fro the beginning that the world shield fynysshein th'end of some thousands of years/ And for as much as it is uj M uj Cxxxv year sith the world was begun. therefore there lacketh yet iij Exl year or thereabout unto the day of doom And that it be so I affirm not ne say. but some auctorytres speaken of tho●sandes of years in speaking of the day of judgement. And certainly the prophet david saith that a thousand year been to fore thine eyen as the last day. like as he would say that the world shall fynyssshe upon the end of some thousand of years/ More over saint Iohn in his apocalypse the xx chapter saith. that sathanas shall be bond a Myere unto th'end of the world. & the prophet helye saith that the world shall dure uj Myere in acountyng fro the time that he lived. & placo thimeon. saith that the world shall be renewed within xx Myere/ By which things it appeareth as if seemed at the beginning that the world ought to finish within th'end of some thousands of years. More over lauteutique saith in his seven book the xxxj chapter that the world shall endure uj Myere. And Albimazar in his second book of conjunctions in the viij defference saith that the tokens of the world changen after the mutation of Saturn And singularly when he hath made ten revolutions the which amount to iij C year or thereabout. whereof we have some experience. For after x. revolutions of saturn came Alexander. and the Royame's of pierce was cestroyed. And x. revolutions after came Ihu christ which took our humanity & brought the new law to the world And x revolutions after came Many which contrived against tix paynims a new law And. x. revolutions after came mahomet the contryner of a false law/ And x. revolutions after came Charlemagne which conquered th'empire/ And x. revolusonns after came godefroy of boylone which conquered the holy and/ And thus some may say that by such mutation as land is/ That they may know by astrology the deffyn●●●●ment of the world/ But I am not of that opinion. for god knoweth it only. And in this matter aught nothing to be affirmed. like as saint Austyn saith in his second book of the city of god the second chapter. After me seemeth that how be it that thou know the day of judgement/ and suppose that it shall not be in long time/ Therefore as it not but that thou oughtest to dread it as much. as it should be right shortly. For the day of thy death. the which shall be right short/ shall be the day of thy judgement. seen that in the same hour shall all be done with thee/ And never shall the sentence be changed/ And it is no doubt that if thou die in evil estate in that hour/