¶ An exhortation of holy Basilius Magnus, to his young kinsmen, stirring them to the study of humane learning, that they might thereby be the more apt to attain to the knowledge of divine literature.  
¶ Translated out of Greek into english, by William Berker.  
Anno. M. D.L.VII.   

To the reader.  
TRue it is (gentle reader) that about the year of our lord, M. cccc.xcix. there arose throughout the world, by the secret workmanship of the heavens, and cruel constellation of the stars, divisions and factions of religion, not only among the Mahomites and Christians, but also in the furthest and unknown parts of the earth, aswell east as West, where the people be ydolatoures, and honour for their Gods monstrous and fond creatures: the greatest effects whereof was seen in Persia and Germania.  
Harduelle among the Persians, a noble man borne, was the first that moved this new religion among the Mahomites, and began to grow into such reputation for the same, as ussumcassane, the king of the country, took him to his son in law, and married his daughter Marta unto him, whom he had by Despina the kings daughter of Trabisonda, a woman of CHRIST'S belief, and by covenant so continuing, bringing up also her daughter in the same, whereby Ishmael, surnamed Sophi, her son, and his succession, have had Christian men in honour, and do not abhor their religion. This marriage was thought to be made rather for a fear that the king had of his estimation them for any love to his person, which afterward was well proved, when the king, because his son in law had such resort of people, and such a fame for his new doctrine, as he was able to defend it by force, privily sent men to kill him, he nothing suspecting the same, and immediately dispatched all them that were of his opinion. notwithstanding his son Hismael, and one of his scholars Techell, scaped alive. Hismael fled to Coraxam and Techell to the mountains of Armenia, where he lived certain years in contemplation hardly, only of such fruits as the earth brought forth. shepherds were the first that perceived him, and after other country folk, which marvelling at his sharp and holy life, gave him things necessary for his body. He likewise giving such answer to them, as seemed more than a man might do, was first brought into the villages and after (as it seemed) against his will, into the cities, where every man wondered at him, and received his doctrine. The sum whereof was this, that none of them that honoured Mahomete should go to heaven after their death, except they followed those ceremonies of the law, which Holy one of Mahomates scholars had written and left behind him, the which were contrary to the interpretations of the mysteries, which Homare, an other disciple of Mahomete (and before received throughout all Asia and Africa,) had with more certainty and gravity of the law declared to the people.  
Techel prevailed so much, that of a prophet of religion, he became a captain of legions, and kept long war with the Turks in Natelia, and his sect was called Cuselbase, by a red scarf that they carried upon their great hats.  
Hismael on the other side, by publication of this new doctrine, warred a Lord of so much people, as he was able to overthrow Aluante with his brother Maratcham, sons and heirs to the kingdom and state of Persia, and that he might be thought to do all things by inspiration, he surnamed himself Sophi, according to the title of princes there, being called Magis.  
Now for the tumults and novities that followed in Alamania, not long after this, I will omit to tell, because they be meatelye well known, and should be to tedious to be told in this preface, only I will say that they proceeded so far, as they ranged from Duchelande to England, where was practised the like matter, but wanted the like effect, only by the mighty power of God, who preserved the royal blood, from the cruelty of this factious device.  
Many opinions ensuing of this sect, one was more wicked among us Christians, then among the Mahomites: for where as they were content to have one of the ancient interpreters of the law, to be the stay of the same, we would have none at all, but that every man should be a prophet at his pleasure: by reason whereof followed the gross error, that learning and knowledge was not alonely not necessary and expedient, but also wicked and unprofitable. Who so ever was reputed learned, he was abhorred like a serpent. The which blasphemous device, made me practise with most profound writers, among the which, I found this Homely of so worthy a doctor, and travailed in it, both for latin and English, but never went any further, because I trusted some other of greater knowledge, wulde have set it forth, with greater authority. And at that time, it had been more expedient than now, because it is to be hoped, that the change of time, have changed many men's hearts. But because I see some remainder of that infection still left in the dominions of this kingdom, I do with no less love of my country, set forth this good lesson to my country men, than Basilius did to his kinsmen. For I am of this opinion, that the fervent love which a man heareth earnestly to his country, is not inferior to that which a father beareth to his children. And as he was careful that his young cosynnes should be well instruct and furnished with such knowledge, as might bring them to the height of holy scripture: even so, I as carefully do wish all my country men, as well young as old, to embrace learning, to study for understanding of poets and Philosophers, that they may come the more able to go thorough with the aucthores of Scripture. If ye bore the science of humanity, ye bore all in effect, yea, divinity to.  
Truth it is, that among the Turks is none other learning, than is left behind in their Alcorane in so much as the Grecians, that sometime were the flourishing people of the world, be now the most vile and baste, and all because the practice of learning is taken from them. All the ancient Princes and states, founded themselves upon religion. The gentiles had their religion in oracles and sacrifices, which they kept so straightly that the people were more afraid of God then of the law of men. Is it not evident that the Romans would keep their oath whatsoever came of it? Regulus, Scipio, Torquatus, and many other testify the same, which in dangerous times saved their country; and when this straight observation waxed lose among them, than their state fell to ruin. The Princes and states of Christendom, that will maintain themselves uncorrupt, must see religion duly kept: if there be no learning, there can be no religion, if there be no religion, there must needs be barbarousness and confusion. Therefore as this holy writer Basilius Magnus, a noble man borne, wrote this advertisement in Greek to his nephews, and they gladly did accept it, so I pray my country men as willingly to receive the same in English, because they that chief be entangled with such error as I have told, know none other tongue but english. And as the gentlemen of Caesarea, in Cappadocia, received profit by this auctor. so may the translation be profitable to all generally of this region, the which God grant. Amen.   

¶ An Homely of Basilius Magnus.  

How young men ought to read poets and orators.  
I Am moved by divers considerations, to give you such counsel as I think shall do you good, if you will follow it. For being come to this age, and having had th'experience of many matters, and felt the change of time, that teacheth all men to know themselves, it hath made me so practised in the world, as to them that now begin to frame their life, I am able to show what way is best for them to take. And because I am by nature, next your parents most nigh unto you, and bear you no less good will then your fathers in deed, I think that you do not desire to be with them, so long as you may be with me. If you therefore with willing heart, receive mine exhortation, you shall be contained in the second degree of praise that Hesiodus giveth: if not, I will speak no reproach, for you know what he saith.  
He is best, that of himself, doth see what is his duty.  
He is good, that being taught, embraceth virtues beauty.  
He that is not apt to take, nor first, nor last of these,  
As all forlorn do him away, no more thy labour lose.  
Marvel not although I take upon me, to find of myself a better way for you, than you may gather of other, being daily conversant with the best aucthores, and resorting to the most famous readers of the same. For this is even the very cause, why I come to advertise you, that you ought not utterly to betake the rule of your minds, as the stern of a ship, to these men, to follow where they will lead you, but only to take that which is profitable, and to refuse the rest. Therefore what they be, and how we may discern them I will teach you. And thus I do begin.   

¶ Only the life eternal is to be sought for.  
WE, O children, do not esteem this worldly life at all, nor we do not judge or name any thing good, that is so much desired for the commodity it bringeth us, as nobility, strength, beauty, dignity, or the honour of all men, or a kingdom itself, or any thing that among men is regarded. We do not think it worthy to be desired, nor we do not pass of them that have it. We pretend by hope to a greater matter, and make all our purveyance for a further life, and whatsoever profiteth us to this, we say it ought to be embraced and desired with all study & diligence, and whatsoever availeth not to this, we must reject it as nothing worth.   

¶ The difference of worldly and heavenly life.  
WHat this life is, and how we may live it, is a greater matter than we will at this present take in hand, and requireth a greater audience than you be.  
This much shallbe sufficient to say unto you now: He that could comprehend in one tale, and gather together in one sum, all the felicity that have been since the world began, shall find it far unequal to the least part of the good thing that we speak of, and that all the glory of this world, is less to be compared with one of the smalllest parts of this, than shadows & dreams be to the things that they present. And to use a more plain example, as the soul in all degree is more honourable than the body, so is the difference of these lives.   

¶ Things of morality must first be learned, and than divinity.  
TO this the holy writings by secret means do lead us. And till we can for weakness of age, attain to the deepness of them, we be traned in other, not all together different from these, as in shadows and myrroures meet for the eyes of the soul, following their example that shall do any feat of arms, for they practise both hand and foot, that they may in their match, enjoy the gain of their study. We must think we have an emprise propounded to us, passing all other, about the which we must employ all our diligence and travail. And for the furniture of this, we must practise with poets, with hystorians, and orators, and with all men, that we may thereby get some commodity to our soul. And as the dier with certain art prepareth the cloth to be coloured, and than layeth on his flower, whither it be purple or other, even so we to make the gloss of virtue durable, do taste the outward show till we may approach to the secret and sacred mysteries. And as men accustomed to see the son in water, be after the more apt to direct our eyes to the clear beams of the same.   

¶ Holy scripture is bewtyfyed by human learning, by th'example of Moses.  
IF in writings there be a consonaunce and an agreement, the knowledge of them is profitable to us, if not, the conference of both uttering the difference, availeth much to the knowledge of better. For the comparison of both to some indifferent thing, do show a shape of both. And as it is the lively virtue of the plant to be laden with seasonable fruit, and yet hath a beauty beset with leaves and branches. Even so the native fruit of the soul is verity, and nevertheless it is not unpleasant to her to be clad with extern sapience, as with leaves, which is a coverture for the fruit, and a delight to the eye. Moses (whose name for his wisdom is so great with all men) did so furnish his mind with the science of Egypt, as he thereby aspired to the contemplation of GOD.  
Likewise of latter time, the sage Daniel of Babylon, when he had learned the sapience of the Caldees, came to the knowledge of divine letters.   

¶ The use and imitation of poets.  
WE have showed that extern wisdom is profitable to the soul, now we will declare how we ought to proceed in it. And first to begin with poets, because they be divers and of all sorts, we may not give our minds to them a like. When they rehearse the noble feats and words of notable men, than we ought to be inflamed in our hearts, and endeavour ourselves to be the like. But when they utter wicked men and their acts, than we ought to flee them, and to stop our ears at them, as Ulysses did at the sirens. For why, evil talk is the way to evil deeds. Wherefore we must with all diligence take heed, lest by lascivious speech, we suffer pryvylye some naughty thing to come upon us, as a poison tempered with honey. We shall not therefore esteem those Poets, the present us with scolders & scoffers with lovers & drunkards and such as measure felicity by delicate fare and pleasant music. And specially them that meddle with Gods and bring them in with discord and debate, the brother against the brother; the father striving with the children and the children making sudden war with the father, and when they treat of there dissoluteness and adulteries, and that of jupiter, himself there chief GOD as they call him, in such sort, as without shame a man cannot report of brute Beasts. Let us leave this to stage players, and the like I say of all other writeres, specially when they allure men to pleasure.   

How Orators are to be red.  
WE may not regard Orators when they speak to please the hearer, for neither at the bar nor else where, is it lawful to use losing for them that seek the right and true way of life, and by law be forbid to do amiss. But than shall we enbrase them, when they advance virtue and depress vice, and as all other, take pleasure only by the colour and savour of the flower, but the Bee picketh also honey out of the very same, even so may we gather out of them not only pleasant and sweet matter to the ear, but also wholesome doctrine to the soul and in every thing we may follow the Bee. For they neither go confusedly to every flower nor when they come, beareth all away. But taketh that serveth for there work, and let the rest alone. So must we judge what is familiar and allied to virtue, and that admit, letting the other pass and as in a rose bush we leave the thorns and take the flower so in such writings we ought to take the good & leave the bad, & in every doctrine we consider how the beginning agreeth with the ending, according to the Doreanes proverb. The stone and the measure must agree.   

poets and orators must be red for the virtue that they teach.  
AND because a life must be directed by virtue, we must learn of all poets, of all Orators, and Historians, yea and chiefly of all Philosophers, all their teachings, that availeth us to the familiarity of virtue, with whom and young men's minds, we must engrafte an alliance, for things that be learned in tender age, do abide the better, because the tenderness of their minds, receiveth the same to the very bottom.  
What should we think Hesiodus mente by those verses that every man hath in his mouth, but to excite young men to virtue.  
Right painful is the way, that leads to virtues gate.  
And few there be that can abide, till they arrive thereat.  
But when they be once past, the high and weary hill.  
All is so plain and fair to see, as their will dwell there still.  
Right pleasant is the way that draweth the mind to vice,  
And most men are content to follow that device.  
But when they see the end, so fowl and full of pain,  
They wail their woeful state, and would return again.  
I think he meant nothing else, but to stir young men's minds to virtue, and to encorrage all good men to the same, that they should for no labour give over till the end.  
And whosoever he be that exhorfeth us to honesty, we may well follow his counsel in that behalf. I hard a man of great learning in poetry say, that all Homer'S doctrine, was nothing but a praise of virtue, and that he gathered all to this purpose, except in some by matter. As when he bringeth in Ulysses naked & all forlorn by shipwreck, as shamefastness might have followed to be seen naked of a Queen and alone, but virtue which was to him as a garment, made him even than, naked as he was, to be honourable, in so much as the Queen did him reverence first, and then all the country, leaving their banquet, where they feasted, to behold him, and there was not one for the time, that rather desired any thing than to be Ulysses, although he was naked and in shippewrake. That learned man, that I speak of was wont to cry with high voice at this place. Ofrendes let us embrace virtue, which in shipwreck swimmeth with us, and maketh a man naked cast upon the shore to be more worshipful, than the wealthy Pheaceans.  
And surely so it is in deed, for all other things, be no more one man's then an other, even as the chance of the die is uncertain: only virtue, both to quick and dead, is stable and sure possession, by the which reason I think Solon was moved, when he spoke to rich men.  
Our virtue, with your riches, we will in no wise batter.  
For our is sure possession, and your uncertain matter.  
The like saying is of Theogius, when he saith, that GOD doth hung a balance diversly among men, for sometime it floweth with riches and sometime it hath nothing. The like is written of Prodicus, the wise man concerning virtue and vice, and it shall become us to mark what he saith, for he is a worthy writer. He affirmeth in a place, the sentence whereof I remember, being written in prose, that when Hercules was a young man, & much of th'age that you be now, and was musing which way he might take, either the hard way to virtue, or the easy way to vice, that there appeared two women unto him, that is to say, virtue and vice, whose diversity of array did declare their conditions. The one was set forth in all kind of gorgyousenes and bravery, with the which, and hirlascivious talk, she devised to allure him to pleasure, and to her purpose. The other, being sober, and of simple cheer, told him a contrary tale: she promised him neither pleasure nor ease, but pain, peril and travail both by sea and land, but the reward of this should be, to be made a GOD. Which Hercules did chose, & follow to his lives end.   

¶ Philosophers be to be red because they set forth virtue.  
IN manner all that have written any matter of gravity, more or less, to their power have set forth virtues praise, whom we must credit, and do our devour to show it in our lives. For whosoever expresseth by works, that other do only by words, he is a wise man in deed, the other as shadows vanisheth away. And as the workman that painteth, or graveth the image of a worthy man, and one that in life expresseth the virtues of the same. But they that praiseth virtue abroad, and set her forth with painted words, and yet prefer pleasure before temperance, and lucre before justice, they be like the stage players, which many times appear as Princes & Kings, and be so far from the same, as perhaps they be vyllanes, & slaves borne. The physician if it be possible, never suffereth the instrument to be out of tune. The schoolmaster of dancing, chafeth when the foot faileth: and shall a man discord with himself, and his life be repugnant to his words? But the tongue did swear, the heart made none oath (quoth Euripidis) it is enough to seem an honest man. But this is the rote of all iniquity, if ye will believe Plato, to appear honest, when thou art not so.   

Reding of poets and Histories, is profitable for examples.  
OF words and writings of virtue, we must take profit after the way that we have showed. Now of the deeds of worthy ancient men, left to us in memory by monuments of poets, we ought to receive good by them after this sort. A vile & lewd fellow, railed on the worthy Pericles, of Athenes, at the which he was neither angry nor any thing moved in his mind, the fellow left no reproach unspoken, Pericles, as things not appertaining to him, passed not of them. When it was night and dark, and yet the vile jangler would not depart, Pericles, caused his man to weight upon him home with torch light, that he might enjoy his long contemplation in philisophy. A certain man in his rage threatened to kill Euclides, of Megara, and affirmed by oath that he would do it. Euclides, swore the contrary that he would so appease him, as he should do him no hurt. It is very profitable to record some such example to them that be in rage of anger, we may not believe the Tragedy that saith, ire do arm the hands to fight. For the best way is not to be angry at all, but if that can not be, to use resonne as a bridle, and not suffer it to strai to fur. But let us return to the facts of worthy men.  
One did strike Socrates on the face very spyghtefullye, Socrates, Socrates made no resistance, but suffered him so much as all his face was swelled. And when the man had satiate his rage, Socrates did nothing else, but in his forehead wrote his name that had beaten him, as they be wont, that make pictures.  
Such a man did this feat, and sought none other revengement, and because these agreeth with our doctrine, I would we should follow the example. The fact of Socrates, agreeth with our scripture which movisheth us that when we be strykenne on the one cheek, we should hold forth the other, none other revengement is granted us, and the example of Pericles and Euclides, is like to our precept, that willeth us to suffer them that persecute us, and patiently to bear their anger, and to pray for our enemies, wishing them none evil, and he that is practised in these, will not discredit the other as things impossible We may not here forget the feat of Alexander, who having the daughters of Darius in captivity, and hearing marvelous report of their beauty, would not suffer them to come in his sight, thinking it to be a shame, that a Conqueror of men, should be Conquered of women. This agreeth with our learning, that whosoever beholdeth a woman voluptuously, although he have no company with her, yet is not without sin, because of the concupyssence of the heart. The deed of Climas, Pythagoras' friend, will hardly be believed of us, howsoever it be taken, who when he might by an oath, have escaped the loss of iij talentes, he rather paid it then he would swear, and yet should have sworn truly. But I think he had hard of our precept, that forbiddeth us to swear at all.   

¶ A choice in learning must be had, and our study directed to some end.  
I Will return to that I spoke in the beginning, we may not take every thing, but only good and profitable. For seeing we will dilygentelye refuse those meats, that might hurt the body, it were a shame to have no regard of doctrine, which is the food of the soul. But like a raging stream, to devour all that cometh without respect.  
The shypmaster suffereth not his ship to be borne with every puff, but standeth at the helm, and directeth it to the port, the Archer hath his eye to the prick, the Carpenter and the Masonne, hath an end and purpose of their art, and shall we in the order of life, be inferior to artificers? It can not be, that the crafts man hath an end of his work, and we have none of our life, which they behold, that seek the perfect happy life, if we with out all reason and stay, be tossed hither and thither in our life, what difference shall be between us, and ships that have no sterns: in the plays of music and manhood men do excercise themselves to that purpose, when a trial of strength shall be made, no man studieth to be cunning at the Harp or the Pipe.  
Neither Polidamus nor Milo did so, but the one before the solemn day of Olimpe, practised running Chariots, and the other, with armed shield stood to his defence, as a thing unremovable, whereas if they had laboured the music of Marsias or Olimpe, and left the dust and the game place, they had won no praise nor glory, nor avoided the derision of the people. contrariwise Themistius did not leave his music, and try his strength, for than he had not gotten such an excellency in the same, as he passed all other musicans, who had so much cunning that at his pleasure he could stir any man to ire by vehemency of his art, and bring him again to quiet, by the sweet plesauntnes of the same. When Alexander was at a feast, and he appointed to play before him by one kind of music called Phrygian, he so stirred the king as he arose, to take his armure and fight, and by the changing of his harmony, he made him to return again to the banquet, such effects have the practise aswell of music as of courage, when they be exercised to the same end.   

All things is purchased by labour the happy life and all.  
BEcause we be entered into this matter of Champions, and rewards, Let us proceed a little further in it. Consider how many thousand pains they take, how many stripes they bear in learning there sense, what a thin dieat they keep? Not as they will but as there masters command, and to be brief, in all other, their life led before the day of proof, is a meditation to the same. In the end, they come to the place of trial, where they fight with great pain and peril, that they might be crowned with a garland of olive, smallage parseley, or some such like, and to be proclaimed victorius of the harold, and shall we, to whom so marvelous rewards of virtue be propounded, as their worthiness cannot be expressed, sleep on both sides at our pleasure, and think to catch it by holding up one of our hands? Than were sloth much to be praised in our life, And Sardanapalus, might be noted the most happy in the world, or Margites, who had no good condition in him as Homer saith. And if this be true of Homer, no less true is it that Pittacus, affirmeth. All good thing to be hard. For after much pain and travel, a man shall have much a do to be partaker of those goods, with which no thing in the world may be compared, therefore we may not be idle, we may not forsake so great hope, for so small a pleasure, except we will sustain reproach and abide blame, not here among men, (although that is also to be regarded) but under the earth, or else where, when the last judgement shallbe made. And he that of ignorance offendeth, may hap find some pardon of God. But he that doth evil of purpose, hath none excuse, but must needs suffer great and diverse punishment.   

¶ How we ought to use the body.  
WHat shall we do than will some man say, what else, but have regard of our soul all other things set apart. We may not serve the body further than necessity. But the soul we must nourish with all good food, and deliver her out of prison and the fetters of affections, by the help of Philosophy, the body must be so used, as it may endure and subdue passions and the belly must be served not for pleasure, but for sustenance. For they that have there delight only in banquetes & feasting, seeking all the earth and sea, to satisfy there appetide, be burdened with a miserable bondage, paying a tribute to a sharp Lord, in no less pain than they that be tormented in hell. Some to cut the fire, some to bear water in a siue, and so to fill a bottomless tub with out any end of their labour. To be curious in our hear, or to make much a do about our garments is the part of them, that be misers or mischievous, as Diogenes saith. Wherefore to be trim in apparel is as evil as to be dissolute or adulterous. What difference is there to a wise man, to were a fine gown, or a course cloak, so the body be defended from heat and cold, and so in other things not to be more precise than needeth, not to puff up the body, but for the commodity of the soul. And it is nos less shame to him that worthily hath the name of a man, to be to careful about his body, than to be subject to any vice out of kind. Therefore to bestow all our study upon the garnishing of our body, is the part of him that knoweth not himself nor do not understand thadvertisement of the wise man that saith. The thing that is seen is not the man. But a greater wisdom is needful to us to know what we be.   

Pleasure must be eschewed.  
But it is more impossible to do this without a clear mind, than to behold the son with blear eyes, the cleansing of the soul, to speak it briefly, is nothing else but to despise the pleasures of our senses, as the eyes may not be fed with vain sights, or such shows as leaveth a provocation of pleasure neither may the ears be enticed with such melody, as corrupt our minds: for of such musyck, wantonness proceedeth. We ought to receive the music that David the poet of holy verses used, to deliver king Saul from his madness. Pythagoras chanced to see a company of young men, running about the town like drunkards, he bad the minstrel to change his music, and play the sad measure called Dorical, which did so restore them to their understanding, as they were ashamed of their folly, and threw away their garlands, and their drunken garments. This is sufficient to teach us, that great respect is to be had in the music that we here. Wherefore I exhort you to beware of the music that is now in use, as of a thing of great filthiness. As for savours or smells, or anoyntmentes, what should I need to speak? And as for pleasures by touching and gesture, no man need to doubt, but if we be well aware of them, they will compel us to be slaves to the body, as brute beasts.   

¶ The body must be subdued to reason.  
Finally, the body must be utterly subdued, except we will be drowned in the gore of pleasure and so much only we may make of it, as it may serve for the ministry of Philosophy, as Plato saith. And S. Paul in effect hath the same words, when he biddeth, that no care should be had of the body for to provoke pleasure. For they the set their hole care upon the body, and do neglect the soul, whom it ought to serve, differeth nothing from them that with great diligence seeketh for goodly tolls, and care not for the art wherefore they be made. We must do the contrary, and keep down the body, as the fury of a wild beast, and pull in the sturdy head with the bridle of reason, which we may not let go at large, lest the mind be drawn headlong hither and thither, as the cart driver is pulled away with the violence of his wild horses. We must remember Pythagoras who, when he saw one of his acquaintance, pampering his body with wanton fare, he said: This man goeth about to make his prison more heavy. Which inconvenience Plato forcing, changed the place of study, that the high complexion of his body might be cut of, as a vine to lusty. And I have hard physicians say, that to much health is dangerous. saying therefore that to much feeding is perilous for the body, and hindrance to the soul, it were very madness, to bestow inordinate labour about it.   

¶ riches may not be desired.  
IF the body be contemned, and pleasures despised, what need have we of riches? Truly I see none, except some man hath delight to watch, and keep his money hid, as the fable maketh mention of serpents. He that knoweth well to despise these, shall utterly abhor from all dyshonesty, both in word and deed. And all that is more than sufficient, he will hate it, whatsoever pretence it hath. For sufficiency is not to be measured by pleasure, but by necessity. For they that go beyond the bounds of necessity be like to them that falleth headelonge, and can find no foting to stay, but the more they have, the more they desire, to satisfy their lust and pleasure, according to that Solon saith. 
Affection men's minds do so blind.  
That of riches no stay they can find.  And the lesson of Theogius we ought to follow. 
I do not regard, nor require riches.  
Content with a little, to avoid distress.  I can not but with good will remember the saying of Diogenes, that despised all worldly things, and yet thought himself to be more rich, than the most mighty king, because a little served him. And we, except we have so many talents as Pythias, and so many acres of land, as we can not well number, and so much cattle, as can not be told, we are not content. My opinion is, that we neither ought to desire riches when we have them not, nor to glory in them, when we have them, except we know how to use them. Socrates spoke well of a rich man, that advanced himself for his riches: I will not (quoth he) esteem thee, except I know how thou canst use thy wealth. If Phidias, or Policletus, had gloried in the gold, whereof the one made a statue and image to the Ilianes of jupiter, and the other to the Argives of juno, forsaking their art and knowledge, whereby that gold was made more precious, they had been laughed to scorn, for challenging a glove that was none of theirs. And shall we think us to be worthy less reprehension, believing that virtue is not able of her self to beutyfy us sufficiently.   

¶ Flattery and boasting to be eschewed.  
SHall we forsake pleasures, shall we despise riches, and nevertheless embrace flattery? and delight in fair words, and in the party for of Arclilocus? Truly there is nothing more to be avoided of a wise man, than to live after the common opinion, and by vain words to fall into offentation.  
We ought so earnestly to embrace reason, the right guide of life that if all men would cry out against us, we would not forsake our just quarrel, for no infamy or danger. For he that frameth his life otherwise, differeth nothing from the juggler of Egypt, who at his pleasure could make himself a tree, a best fire or water, or any thing that he would. For if the company serveth he will praise virtue, and if the company be for the contrary, he will praise vice. Even as Polipus, that turnith his shape to the colour of every thing he cometh to, so he will change his sentence, at the pleasure of every audience.   

¶ All things are to be sought that may bring us to the happy life.  
THese matters may be more exactly learned in mine other works, at this present it is enough to describe virtue, as in the shadow of extern doctrine. For he that taketh profit by every thing although he do it by little and little, yet is it true, that many a little maketh a great, as a mighty flood, of a small fountain. For where the Poet saith, put a little to a little & do it oft, it is not to be understand only of th'increase of money, but of every science. Bias one of the seven. sages, sent his son to Egipte, who asking his father, what he might do to please him. He answered, if thou canst purchase such spending money, as may accompany the to thy age. He meant virtue, by the name of conduct money, and yet his limitation of virtue, was to straight, to confine it, within the compass of man's life, for I say if a man might live the years of Tithon, or of Arganthonius, or had the long live of our Methusalem, who lived ix hundred save thirty. year, or could number all the ages of men, since the creation of the world I would smile at it, as at a thing of small understanding, in the respect of the infinite time of virtue, the term whereof no heart can comprehend, no more than the soul immortal. For the which, all diligence is to be used, that we may be so furnished, as shall redound to our commodity.   

¶ pain may not withdraw us from the study of Virtue.  
AND though these things be hard and painful, we may not give over, but we must remember the lesson that biddeth us take the best kind of approved life in hand, and think that use and practise, will make it easy unto us, it is a rebuke to leave the present time for a little sloth, and after call for it again in vain, when no thing will be found, but sorrow and grief. I have told you, what I think most fit for you presently, and to the same, I will counsel you while I shall live. There be three kinds of diseases, of the which, one is incurable, into the which I would be loath that you should fale, or to be sick in your mind, as many be in their body. They that be a little evil at ease goeth to the Physicians themselves, and they that be very sick, sendeth for the Physicians to them, but they that be past remedy by the rage of melancholy, neither go nor send to the Physicians, nor suffer them that do come to them to do them any good. My prayer is, that you do not fall into the like inconvenience, refusing all good counsel.  
FINIS.