AN EXHORTATION TO YOUNG men, persuading them to walk in the path way that leadeth to honest and goodness: written to a friend of his by Thomas Lupsete Londoner. ❧ 1534    

To my withipol.  
IT happeneth at this time (my hearty beloved Edmonde) that I am in such place, where I have no manner of books with me, to pass the time after my manner and custom. And though I had here with me plenty of books: yet the place suffereth me not to spend in them any study. For you shall understand, that I lie waiting on my lord Cardinal, whose hours I must observe, to be alway at hand, lest I be called, when I am not buy: the which should be straight taken for a fault of great negligence. Wherefore, now that I am well satiated with the beholding of these gay hangings, that garnissheth here every wall: I will turn me and talk with you. For you must know, that my mind hath long coveted, to show what affect I bear to ward you: the which hitherto peraventure I never uttered unto yond so plainly, that you might take thereof any perfect knowledge. And that I so did keep in, such outward tokyns, whereof when you were with me, you should have perceived my love: the cause was none other, but that in deed, 
How masters hurt their scholars most.  I loved you. For long I have been taught, that the master never hurteth his scholar more, than when he uttereth & showeth by cherishing and cokering the love that he beareth to his scholars. I think you lacked with me no cheryshinge, but of cokering you had very little: because I was loath to hurt you: the which loathness came I say, of that I loved you. But now in as much you be of age, and also by the common board of houseling admitted into the number of men, to be no more in the company of children, and specially for as much as my rule over you is cessed, I will not defer any longer the expressing of mine heart, that no less loveth and favourethe you, than if nature had made you, either my son or my brother. For this always is my mind, if I have a friend, in whom I find such faith, & honesty, that I inwardly joy in heart with him: I reckon straight, that all his be mine with out any exception: 
True friendship  So that in very deed I take to my care, as mine own, all things that be in my friends care. This mind had I to my friend Andrew Smythe, whose son, Christofer your fellow, I ever took for my son, & now I think plainly, that he is so in very deed. This strength hath true love in friendship, the which hath likewise joined your father in such manner to my heart, that one think you should be no more his son then you be mine. And though I can suffer your father to take the rule of you, more than I do: Yet I can not suffer, that he should care more for your profit than I do. For as I desire & wish, that you never have need of me: so surely if you ever should have, it should well then appear, that as nature hath given you one father, so your father's friendship hath provided for you an other father. Wherefore good Edmonde, reckon no less affect in me to do you good than is in your own father, whose only study and care is, to see you grow & prosper toward the state of an honest man: and I to further you to the same, am as desirous as he is, and as much as I can, I will help you both with my counsel and power, such as I have.  
¶ If you will call to your mind all the frays, that have been between you and me, or between me and Smythe, you shall find, the causes ever depended of a care I had for your and his manners.  
When I saw certain fantasies in you or him, that jarred from true opinions, the which true opinions, 
True opinions.  above all learning, I would have masters ever tech their scholars. But now that you be of better ability to take counsel, I will begin to show you my mind, in staying you for the hole course of your life, that you may in time learn what is to be done, to be a good & an honest man. You be yet in the first entry of your life, and now is the time to have a guide, that may faithfully conduct you in the right way: For there be so many by paths, and for the most part, all by paths be more worn with the steps of your fore goers than is the very true path of living: that if you go alone, you may peradventure long wander out of the straight way. Wherefore as near as I can, I will in few words appoint unto you certain marks, upon the which if you diligently look, you can not err nor fail of the way, that leadeth to the reward of an honest good man, whose virtue savoureth pleasantly to heaven, pleaseth the world, and nourisheth himself, with an incomparable delight and gladness, that continually reigneth in his clean & pure conscience. With these marks & tokens, the which I would you looked still upon, I will assign you certain authors, in whose works I would you should bestow your lesure, when you may have time to read, that by them you may at the full be instructed in all things appertaining to virtue: & in all your life I would you meddled not greatly with any other books, then with these, that I shall name unto you: it is not the reading of many books, 
Reding of many books.  that getteth increase of knowledge & judgement: for the most part of them, that readeth all indifferently, confounded their wits and memory without any notable fruit of their reading. It must be a diligent reder, that shall take the profit of his labour and diligence. No man (specially of them that have other occupations) can use reading but in very few works, the which I would should be picked out of the best sort: that the fruit of the readers diligence may be the greater. I see many lose their time, when they think to bestow their time best, because they lack judgement or knowledge, to pike out the books, the which be worthy to be studied. And in every thing an order well observed, bringeth more profit than any labour or pain beside. Wherefore my good Withipolle, take heed to my lesson. I am in doubt, whether you have any other lover, that can and will show you a like tale: but well I am assured, that you have none, that can thus teach you with a better will, to have you take profit by him, than I do: & of me how long you shall have this use, it is in god's will to determine: As much as lieth in me, I will now procure and provide, that these letters shall keep to your use the sum of my council, by the which if you order your will, I put no doubt, but first the grace of god shallbe rooted in you, and next you shall live with a merry heart, and finally never to lack the commodities requisite for the short time in this world, in the which case you shall obtain the worship and dignity of a good & an honest man, whose conditions I had rather see you have with poverty, than in great abundance to be a man of small honest. You may be good, honest, and rich, and so study to be, or else think never of riches: for other wise you shall deceive yourself, & do contrary to that way, that as well worldly wisdom as the troth of our faith showeth you. But now here what I say.  
¶ first and last (mine own good Withipol) remember earnestly to have in your mind iii certain things, the which be of such valour, that he that forgetteth either their dignity and nature, orles the degrees & order of them: he can not please neither god, nor himself, nor the world. I say, in all the course of your life there be iii things to be looked so upon, that the first of them must be first of you regarded: the second enext after, and the third in his place after the ii Beware, as of deadly poison, that you ruffil not them without care, one before the other, as to take the iii in the place of the first, or the second after the third, or both the second & the third before the first. In this conclusion you shall (as I have said) both offend god, & displease yourself, & also nothing content the world. Like as the most part of men now a days trespass all for the rechfulnes & negligence in not keeping these iii things, under the dignity & degree according as they ought to be observed and kept. And what be we (my good Edmond) if we be out of God's favour? odious to ourself, and despiteful to men. Therefore again I exhort you, to th'intent you may eschew this abominable condition, & grow to be admitted in the blessed number of them that rest in the grace of god, in the cleanness of their conscience, and in the favour of the world, to be judged a good, a wise, and an honest man. For this final end mine exhortation is now, that you in all your acts in the hole course of your life, remember these three things, that I will rehearse unto you. But I say to you, that you must not only remember these three things, but also specially have in mind the degrees of them: so that ever the first of them be chief in your thought above all other: and then in his place put the second, and let not the third be regarded, but as his place requireth, that is, when you have done with the first, and also with the second. There lieth more weight & valour upon the knowing and keeping of this tale, that I shall tell you: then if I could show you the way within few months, to be a man of great power, both in exceeding abundance of riches, and also in passing authority of rule. Therefore as well for the fruit, that followeth, if you do after mine exhortation, as for the infinite hurts, that you can not escape, if you should forget that I say: I warn & warn you again, here this lesson with a glad ear, and print the same in your mind, to execute with lively diligence the effect of this counseyl, wherein is contained your life and death, your joy and sorrow, as well in this world, as in that shallbe here after: These iii things, be the soul, the body, and the substance of this world. 
Soul.  The first place hath by good reason the soul, saying it is a thing immortal, that is created and made after the figure & shape of almighty god. 
Body.  The next and second room hath the body, as the caas and sepulture of the soul, and nearest servant to the secretis of the spirit. The iii room occupieth the riches & goodis of this world, 
Goods of this world.  as the necessary instruments or tolls for the body, the which can not want nor lack such things. Let then the eye of your inward mind first & chiefly ever behold the first thing in you that is your soul: next thereto have a respect to your body: and thirdly consider the world: Care for your soul, as for your chief jewel and only treasure.  
Care for your body, for the soul's sake. Care for the world for the bodis sake. Beware above all things, that you go not backward, as he doth, that careth first to be a rich man: next to be an helthye man, and thirdly to be a good man: where he should do clean contrary, first to study for goodness, next for health, and then for wealth. You see so great blindness among men, that some folk so careth for riches, that very little they look for the health of the body, & nothing at all they mind the state of the soul. I say to you, some folks do thus: I would to god I might not truly report, that for the most part all men in manner now a days do no nother wise. Look upon either the spiritual sort or the temporal: and much a do you shall havein the great swarming multitude of this blind sort, to find out them, that first above all things care for their soul, next for their body: and thirdly for goods of this world. You shall see merchants spare no travail nor jeopardy of the body, to get these goods. They be (to say the troth) so occupied in the study of this third thing, that scant they have time to care for the second, and as for the first, they pass nothing there upon, it seemeth a thing least in their thought, where, of conveniencye the same care, study, and thought, that they give to the opteyning of these worldly goods: they should spend it all in the maintenance of the first thing, that is the soul: and the small little regard, that they take for the first, should be bestowed for the third: and more than they do, they should cherish the second. The same confusion is with us scholars: 
scholars.  for our first study is to get promotion, to get these goodis, to live wealthily. In this care we busily be occupied continually. Somewhat more we cherish our bodies then doth the merchant: but our cherishing is for the longer use of these goods, not as it should be for the soul's sake. And as for the soul we have as little regard as other men have, although we speak thereof more than peraventure other men do. This overthwart confusion of these three things marreth all. And plainly I may say, that all mischief cometh only of this misorder, that we put the chief care of our study to the third thing, and not to the first, as of duitye, we ought to do the contrary.  
If my purpose were to show you, what other men do, and not rather what I would have you do: I would farther proceed to express unto you, how far out of square our life is now a days: and how blessed a life we should have in this traunsitorie world, if the care of our soul were first and chiefly in men's minds, like as the care of the worldly substance occupieth our hartis above all other things. If it were as it ought to be, that in our fantasy reigned the study for the soul, them should be here that celestial kingdom, the which Christ teacheth us to pray for in our pater noster, where we crave of god, that his rule and reign may come among us. But as I despair that commonly this study and care can not be changed from these worldly riches to the soul: so I am full of good hope, that you will take heed to your life, to order therein your desires, in this dew manner, more regarding what should be done, than what is done. When you see and know the right path, I trust you will not walk in the crooked high way. The troth shall more draw you to love and to follow virtue, than the common ensample shall entice you to follow vice, the which no man can love, not the sinner himself.  
But now mine own good Edmonde, here of these three things somewhat more you must print in your mind, with a perfect persuasion, that your soul is the chief treasure, that you have: whereupon your continualle thought and care must be, to keep it, to defend it, to nourish it, to comfort it by all ways and means possible for you. In this study you must spend all your wits: night and day you must think on this thing, what so ever you do, you must direct your act to this thing. If you be occupied in the state of your body, either to drive away sickness, or to sustain health, let it be for the service your body oweth to the soul. If you travail for goods of this world, to get your own living, or to help your friend, or else to provide for your children, when god shall send you them: let your travail be for the necessities of the body, and so finally for the soul. consider what the goods of the world be, how they be but instruments for the body. Use then the world in his kind. Look again upon your body, how it is preciouser than the goods: use him then in his worthiness, & hurt not your body for a thing of less valu. And as ye have nothing, neither your body nor your goods, to be compared with the dignity of your soul: so my sweet withipol, let nothing be in your reputation above this chief & principal jewel, the which must only for himself be cared for, & all other things in this life, must be cherished for it. I stick moche with you in repeating one thing, but marvel not, though I so do: For I see us all in this world so blinded, partly by a use & custom from the cradil, in the magnifienge of these goodis, partli by thensample of them, with whom we be daily conversant: that scant after long crying it can now be hard, that the soul must be chiefly cared for. And except grace work with you, that you yourself will consent to the troth, it is not possible to persuade you, that the very true way of living is this, to care chief for the soul, and to care for all other things only for the soul's sake. This saying though it be true, yet I say, it can not be hard: in as much the lives of all them, with whom ye shallbe continually conversant, shall cry out clean contrary against my saying. For on all sides you shall see men sweeting in a continual work, both of body and of mind, to get these worldly goods, without any mention made of the soul's state: the which the very friars care little for: as it openly appeareth. But ever I say to you, look what Christian men should do, and if you see men so do, be glad of that sight, & follow the same: if you see the contrary, i'll from the ensample, and cleave ever fastly to the truth, with a sorrowful heart for the loss of other men, that so blindly rush forth in the train of a vicious living, where the soul is so little cared fore.  
¶ That this first thing may be the better in your study, I will briefly touch some what of the things that appertain hereto: to have you know what nourisheth and comforteth the soul, & what hurteth and noyeth the same. The soul can not but ever live, it hath no end of living, yet we may say, that the soul liveth and dieth: It liveth in the grace of god, and dieth in the malice of the devil. The soul's life is the light of virtue: his death is the darkness of sin. You have a free will given you, whereby you may either quicken or slay at your own pleasure, your soul in the bright Paradise of life, and you may set your soul in the black dungeon of death. Let therefore this will of yours ever study to procure for the soul's life, the which is your own life: and in the same study you shall deliver the soul from his death, the which is the perpetual pain ordained for sin, that separateth the image of god from his patron. I say sin plucketh your soul from god, whose image your soul should bear. Therefore in all your acts so do, that you willingly displease not god: who can not be pleased but with a pure and clean conscience, pure and clean if you suffer no sin to remaygne so long in your desire and mind, that it cankerethe the thought. Your thought is cankered with the long residence of sin: when either you be weak in the study of virtue, orels make very littelle of a fault, or defend your vice, or nowselle yourself in a custom of an inordynate desire. The frailness of our flesh is so great, that it can not be, but that sin shall come to our desire: but it is our blame, if sin tarry and abide within us. God hath given us a mighty power over ourself: we may when we will correct our desires, and drive out all sin. If you know not what is sin, nor what is virtue: by the fear and love of god, you shall know both.  
The fear of god will teach you to flee sin and follow virtue. 
Fear of god. Love of god.  The love of god will teach you to follow virtue and flee sin: whereby your privy and secret conscience shall better and more clearly perceive, what is to be done, and what is not, than any definition or description can appoint out to you. Therefore my dear Withipoll, enwarpe yourself fast and sure in the fere and love of god, from your first rising to your rest, draw forth the day in all your business, as this loving fear and fearful love shall secretly admonish and warn you: and die rather than you would pursue any lust against your knowledge of god's pleasure.  
¶ What merchandise so ever you occupy: remember, it is the business of the third care, for the which you may not leave any point of this first care, that belongeth to the soul. Like wise if ye be occupied about the body: remember, it is the work of the second care, the which also must be ordered under the first, the which first must alway stick in your mind, stirred up and led in all desires & appetites by the said fear & love of god. Do never that thing, wherein you fear God's displeasure.  
¶ More partycularlye in writings you shall learn this lesson, 
New testament.  if you would sometime take in your hands the new testament, and read it with a dew reverence. For I would not have you in that book forget, with whom you talk, it is god that there speaketh, it is you a poor creature of god that readeth. Consider the match, and meek down your wits. Presume not in no case to think, that there you understand aught: leave devising thereupon: submit yourself to the expositions of holy doctors: and ever conform your consent to agree with Christ's church. This is the surest way that you can take, both before god & man. Your obedience to the universal faith shall excuse you before god, although it might be in a false belief: & the same obedience shall also keep you out of trouble in this world, where you see, how foolish medlars be daily sore punished, both to their own undoing, & also to their great sorrow & lamenting of their lovers & friends. Surely the truth is as I have said, that it is your part to obey, and to follow the church: so that both for your soul's sake, and for your bodily quietness, with the comfort of your friends, I exhort you to meddle in no point of your faith, other wise than the church shall instruct & teach you. In the which obedience read for your increase in virtue, the story of our master Christ, that lively expresseth the hole course of a virtuous life. 
Mat. 6.  And there you shall here the holy ghost command you, 
Luc. 12.  to seek first afore all things, the kingdom of heaven, & than (saith the spirit of god) all other things appertaining to the body and world, shall by themself follow without your care.  
¶ In reading the gospels, 
reading the gospels Chrysost. jerom  I would you had at hand Chrysostome & jerom, by whom you might surely be brought to a perfect understanding of the text. And hereafter at leisure, I would you red the ethics of aristotel, 
Ethica.  either under some expert philosopher, 
Arist.  or else with comment of Futtiratius.  
And let Plato 
Plato  be familiar with you, specially in the books that he writeth De re publica. Also you shall find much for your knowledge in the moral philosophy of Cic. 
Cicero.  as in his books De officiis, de senectute, de fato, de finibus, de Achademicis questio. de Thust. Specially read with diligence the works of Seneca: 
Seneca.  of whom ye shall learn as much of virtue as man's wit can teach you. These works I think sufficient, to show you what is virtue, and what is vice: and by reading of these, you shall grow in to a high courage to rise in a judgement above the comen sort, to esteem this world according to his worthiness, that is far under the dignity of the virtues, the which the mind of men conceiveth and reioycethe in these books, shall life you up from the clay of this earth, and set you in a hill of high contemplation: from whence you shall look down and despise the vanity, that foolish men take, in the deceyteful pomp of this short & wretched life. Mobokes, I will not advise you, for your soul's study, to read, than these: except it be Enchiridion, that Erasmus writeth, a work doubtless, that in few leaves containeth an infinite knowledge of goodness. Think not my good Edmond, that I over charge you. For I know what pleasure you have in reading: & in better books you can not bestow your pleasure, than in these, the which be in number but few, and yet they shall do you more good than the reading here & there of many other. I would to jesus I had in your age followed like counsel in reading only these works, the which now at last by a great loss of time in reading of other, I have chosen out for my purpose, to refresh with them the rest of my life. And I council you now to begynnne to do the same, when time and convenient leisure shall be given you to read any book.  
¶ The second care is for the body, the which you must cherish as much as may stand with the service of your former thought and study for your chief treasure. Have a resspecte to keep your body in good health, 
bodily health.  the which resteth in the air and in your diet. Abide not where ruption or infection is: 
Corrupt air.  Eat not, nor drink not out of time or measure: nor yet of such meats & drinks, 
Diet.  as be more delicate and pleasant, then wholesome. Know the measure of your stomach before you overlade your bealye. Choke not your appetite, but feed your hunger.  
Drown not your lust, but quench your thirst, & ever for your soul's sake, 
Fast.  keep you from gluttony. Fast sometime both for devotion and also for your health: sleep 
sleep.  rather to little then to much, as much as you take from sleep, so much you add to your life. For sleep is death for the tyme. Exercise 
Exercise.  you continually: for in labour your body shall find strength: and lustiness is gotten by the use of your limbs. Let never the son rise before you: you shall have to all your affairs the longer day: 
Idleness.  And ever for your soul's sake, flee from idleness, the which is not only in him that doth nothing, but also in him that doth not well: and idle you be, when you be not well occupied. 
Temperance.  Be temperate in your lusts, touching the bodily pleasure: the time shall not belong till your friends by God's grace, will provide you of an honest mate. In the mean season let the fear & love of god keep you in chastity, the which appertaineth to your chief care: for needs you must so do, seeing that other wise lechery shall sore defoil your soul, the which you must regard be fore the bodis appetite. For this part I would you red, as your leiser shallbe, 
Gale. De bona bale tud. tuen.  a little work of Galen De bona valetudine tuenda. And in the works afore named, you shall find many things, that shall instruct you well for this part also, and like wise for the third, the which third ever hath occupied men's stomachs more than either the first or the second. Wherefore as well in holy scripture, as in the other philosophers, & specially in Seneca, 
Seneca.  you shall find many lessons, that appertain to the third care. This third care is for the goods in this world. In this part I can give you small advise of myself, because I have had but small experience here in: yet ever I see, that you may not in the study of getting these goods, leave or slake the chief care, for the first thing, nor yet the secondary care for the body. Labour you must for your living in a dew order, as in the third degree of your things. If matins, mass, or a sermon be to be hard, set your merchandise apart for the season, & prefer the matins of your soul, that looketh to have such ghostly food. If the time require to have you take a meal, either a dinner or a supper for your refection, let not your merchandise defer the going thereto in a dew tyme. For remember, that business is one degree above your merchandise. 
Alms deed.  If you espy a poor man to be in need of your help, hast to help him before any ear of making a bargain, for that work of mercy pertaineth to your chief jewel: & therefore your soul shall grow in the grace of god. Break not much, to the hurt of your health the convenient time of going to bed for any occupations or rekeninges in your study for these goods. For remember, that rest & sleep 
sleep.  pertain to the ii thing, where your conting books belong to the third. 
Bargyne.  In making your bargain keep faith and promise: deceive no man with any guile or false colour. For let it be ever in your fantasy, how the gains that you should get with such untrue dealing, be contained under your iii that is to say under your least care, where the breaking of faith & ꝓpmise, with false deceit & untrue deling, sore hurteth your soul: in whom resteth your chief thought. And by falsehood, you could not get so much of riches, as by the same you should lose of honesty & goodness. wherefore travail ever as the degrees of these iii things shall require. If an infinite heap of worldly goods might be got with a small hurt & damage of the soul, forsake rather that great heap, than you would suffer this small hurt. There can be no comparison between the soul's health and the riches: the least drop that can be of your soul's part, must ponder and weigh more in your thought, than all this world beside can do.  
¶ Let not any similitude 
Similitudes.  deceive your judgement. As if a man would reason, that the goods of the soul be all gold, the goods of the world be all lead: all though that gold is ever better than lead, yet there may be a great quantity of lead, that shall be valured above the small portion of gold. So in your fantasy a great gains & lucre of the worldly goods may seem better than a small point of our soul's substance. Wherefore, he will conclude, that with a little loss of honesty or goodness, we may venture to get a great advantage in this world: and some little small portion we may borrow of our soul, to win by that means a great sum of riches. Beware good withipoll, of such reasonning, and to the death, to gain all the hole royalty of this hole world, never trespass against your soul in the smallest jot that can be imagined. As if ye might be made a lord of great might & power with abundance of possessions and goods, only for the speaking in wyttenesse of one word against the truth, with grudge of your conscience: for sake you all that offer, rather than you would feel the privy bit of your offence. For if you look well, you shall see, that there is a greater valu of gains in the smallest jot of virtue, then is in the most were of riches: & that the loss of the smallest mote, pertaining to your soul's state, is more hurt & damage, than the refusing or foregoing of all that is under heaven. So that I say, it is not like between the souls goodis & the goods of this world, as it is between gold and lead valured above a penny weight of gold: where there is no title so small of virtue, that is not to be valured without comparison above the hole power of the earth and sees, through out Asia, Africa, and Europa. The proof of my saying dependeth here upon, that every jot, every title, every mote of virtue, wherein is contained the souls wealthy state, hath appointed his proper state & place in the heaven & kingdom of god: & all the spiritual goods, both small & great be under god, of whom virtue receiveth her reward: Of the which reward he that loseth any manner portion, loseth more than the loss of the hole dominion & rule of this world, whose prince is the devil, 
Devil.  that reineth over all them, as over his bond servants, the which can find in their hearts to forsake virtue to win these false and vain goods, that stand to us in no erthily stead: but for the short time of a few years in this life, where the possessions of virtue be everlasting. Thus I show you good Edmond, that your care to get these worldly goods must be subdued under due order, as in his third place. But what be these goods, & what weigh you may lawfully get them, I doubt not, but your father will in time convenient show you. He is of that sort of men, the which hath by long approved honesty purchased him a good name, and is thereby beloved and regarded of good men: whose steps if you follow, you shall by god's grace come to like worship, and be of like or more ability to leave to your children sufficient to pass this life with. Here remember, the more your father loveth you, the less is your third care: and the less that your third care is, the more leiser you have to think upon your chief jewel, the which god hath given you to be ordered after your will, in the which jewel you shall after this life well passed, have the fruition of God's presence, wherein resteth the joy ineffable of the blessed lambs. The gotis, that is to say, the greedy souls of this third care, the which never mendeth, or very little and weakly mendeth, the first care, shall remain for ever more, in the peineful darkness, where is nothing but crying out and lamenting with fretting of stomachs, and snarring of teeth, as the gospel shall teach you: In the which book of god, you shall here what an hard thing it is for a rich man to enter in to heaven: because that most commonly rich men spend all their care & thought out of order, only for this world, and seldom or never they think of their soul: and when they think thereof, they so think, that they put that care far under the care of these worldly business, doing clean contrary to this order. The which god would have us to keep. The which order thouh you shall see very little regarded of all sorts of men, yet good Edmonde regard you it, & have pite of them that regard it not. 
Mat. 20. et. 22.  It is the son of god, the which saith, many be called to heaven, but few be chosen. Enforce yourself to be among the few, & forsake the multitude. Be not drawn to an evil opinion, neither with the ensample of popis, cardinals, and priests, nor with the ensample of princes, lords, knights, gentlemen, and merchants, nor yet with the ensampe, of monks, friars. You may by yourself know, what is the right path, follow you courageously the same, & forsake the common high way of sinners. Yet before I leave this iii care, I will show you my mind, what is chief in this part to be cared fore: as the best portion of worldly riches. Surely I reckon no possession of lands, nor yet no substance of merchandise, nor yet no abundance of money, to be comparable to a good friend. 
A good friend.  Therefore above all things in this world, procure to have plenty of friends, & make of them your count, as of your best & most precious goods. Alweys' your friend shall be more profitable to you, than any treasure or power beside can be. Now you shall know them that be worthy to be your friends, & by what means, & what weigh friends be both gotten & also kept, ye shall best learn in Cicero's little book De amicitia. 
Cicero de amicitia.  I can not say in this thing any point that is left of him. wherefore I remit you to that work. another point touching this care of worldly goods is to use accordingly your wife, when the time shall come, that you shall have one. For to obtain substance of goods, it lieth as much in the wife, to keep that you bring home, 
House wife.  as in your travail to bring home. And surely unless she be the keeper and sparer, the husband shall little go forward in his labour of getting: And the very troth is, that there is no evil housewife, but for her faults the good man is to be blamed. For I am utterly of this opinion, that the man may make, shape, and form the woman, as he wil I would go farther with you in this thing, & show somewhat of the weigh to order your household, if I saw not this matter so largely intreatedde of divers phylosothers, of whom ye shall here as much, as may be said in this thing. Specially I would you red with most diligence, the proper book, that Xenophon 
Xenoph.  writeth hereof, it is called oeconomia, 
oeconomi.  that is to say, the craft to order and keep an house, where this author giveth such counsel, for all the course of an honest man's life in this world to grow in riches, under the means of discretion and wisdom, that no man in my mind can say more therein, or better: the which judgement of mine I doubt not but you will approve, when you have red the said work: it is translated out of greek in to latin by one Raphaelle, but in his translation the work loseth a great part of the grace, that it hath in the greek tongue, and also his translation in many places is false: and it plainly appeareth, that raphael understood not well, what Xenophon wrote in greek. I have therefore, for divers of my friends sake translated the same work out of greek tongue in to english, and you shall have the same with my good will, when your pleasure is to read it.  
¶ I would also for some part of this third care, have you read the seven. & the viii book of Aristot. 
Aristot.  politics, 
Politic.  for to here his counsel concerning the bringing up of children, and the use of other certain things.  
¶ This is the effect & some, mine own good Edmond, of my council, touching the iii said things: in the which I reckon to rest the hole course of your life, and if you observe & keep them in their degrees & order accordingly, you shall surely content god, next please yourself, & thirdly satisfy the world. On the contrary part, misorder these caris, & you shall run in to the vengeance of god, into the hate of yourself, and in to the indignation of all men. Be hold I pray you these hungry and greedy wretches, that make of the third thing their first thought and care, what life lead they in the slander of all their acqueintance? what death have they in the sight of their privy conscience, when they remember their false swearinges, their deceitful bargains, their plain robberies, their pollinges, their cruel exactions, their oppressinges of the poor men? what hope have they of god's favour, when they remember all their care & thought hath been for the wealth of this world? the which when they leave & forsake, they despair of all other wealthiness: in as much their minds never earnestly cared for that wealth, the which ever endureth.  
This remembrance of their misorder, is an heavy burden to their conscience. It can not be otherwise. Consider now again, how clear and light his mind is, that in all his life hath ever chiefly studied for the soul's wealth, that remembreth ever how his care hath been for the reward of virtue? Of this man how well doth every man speak? what joy and comfort embraceth the conscience of this man, when the hand of god calleth him from his short life, to that perpetual life, for the which he hath so much laboured. The t'other be he never so rich, is called a false fellow a wretched knave. This man be he never so poor, is called an honest person, a good man, for whom the heaven gatis standeth open, whilst the t'other falleth to endless torments. This is th'end of misorder, & this is th'end of good order, in breaking and keeping the degrees of the foresaid three things. Wherefore I can not warn you to often, to take heed of this council: and you can not to often here the same. The jeopardy is not small, if you should forget this tale, it is no less peril then utter shame in this world, with death everlasting. where so ever is slander, there is shame: greater slander there can be none, than followeth on all sides the unjust rich man. And he ever, where some ever he be, gathereth uniustely riches, that careth chiefly for these worldly promotions, the which man hath (I say) both in his life extreme shame, & also after this life extreme punishment. You be not forbode to get riches, but the unordinate desire of getting riches is abominable both in the sight of god & man: your desire is unordinate, if it be not ordered under the degree of your chif care, as now often enough hath been repeated. I would now leave you & make an end of these .3. cares & studies, apꝑteining to your soul, body, & goods: saving that because I somewhat know your disposition, & will particularly touch one thing or two that you must most earnestly beware of: because you be much naturally inclined otherwise to fall in to certain points, that sore disquieteth the mind, hurteth the body, and hindereth the profits of this life: so that friendly I will admonish you of one or two things, that pertain to all your three charges.  
¶ Take heed my good Withipoll of your passion toward wrath, 
wrath, ire, & anger.  ire, & anger: resist as much as you can the provocation of your stomach to this vehement pang. Be not light ered in hearing a word of displeasure: Consider the kind of life that you take: you must be conuersante with many and divers marchantis, among whom every one thinketh himself both lord & master. In such company chanceth to be often dysdayneful looks, proud countenances, scorns, mocks, scoffs, comparisons, biting taunts, odious checks, spiteful reproaches, with fretting envy, and with many other corrupt affections, whereby riseth moche debate, and some time there followeth plain fury, that maketh men more like wild beasts, for the time of their madness, than to reasonable creatures. It is a great grace in him that feeleth his heart aggrieved, 
Furrie.  & yet showeth not outwardly his grief. This prudent dissimulation more avengeth his quarrel, than any rendering of any words could do. 
Patience.  For it is a deadly stroke, that the patient man giveth in this soft and mild suffering the ragiss of an angry fool. Look well upon them both, he that suffereth and saith naught, is like a man, the railer or taunter is like a beast or a fool. The sufferer always both in his time of suffering and also afterward, when all fumes be cessed, hath a great praise of all that beholdeth him: and ever he hath cause of rejoicing and gladness, where the t'other fretteth with himself: and scant the next day after he can show his face: behind whose back his company reporteth the folly of his hastiness, & sore they blame him for his uncomely behaviour. Let the quarrel be what you lust, ever by your patience & sufferance, you shall have advantage of him that provoketh you, and finally, for your often forbearing, a name of soberness, wisdom, & discretion: whereof shall follow great credence, & a love of all honest persons toward you, where he that will suffer nought, but will ease his stomach, in giving mock for mock, check for check, shallbe taken for a wrangler, a brawler: and few or noon honest men will gladly meddyll with him.  
¶ To rule this passion of ire, you shallbe much more stronger than mine exhortation can make you, if you will (as I have counseled you before) have Plato 
Plato.  your familiar. And Seneca 
Seneca.  shallbe a mere physician for to help your mind against these grievous pangs. The best is not to be angry, the next is not to show in words or countenance your anger, but remember, if it chance that you be angered, and that you have in showing your anger moved & stirred some other to be displeased: beware that you nourish not this grief, spit out of your stomach all peevishness, & seek atonment as soon as it can be possible. If the ꝑty speak not to you, speak you to him, it is no shame to be agreed, it is a foul shame to continued in anger: & in the mean season your prayer to god is void. For out of charity, & out of favour & grace of god. It is the ground & only stay of our religion, to love together like brethren, all under one father that looketh over us in heaven, for whose sake, see that you never sleep with grudge against any person: in so doing you shall finally obtain, that no man will bear you grudge, & for your love you shall have love plentifully of god & of the world: Begin mine own good withipoll to over throw this bestely passion of wroth, before your age make your stomach stubborn. Overcome now in time sullines, before men have regard of your displeasure: accustom yourself with mildness, softness, patience, sufferance, & specially with gentleness, that can not abide an heart mindefulle of any grief. To your enferior be pitiful, buxom, & ready in offering yourself, both to take and keep petition with your fellow and companion. Strive not, compare not: but always study to increase familiarity by loving manners, and easily forget injuries. Let no displeasure be taken of you, how many somever displeasures be given you. To your better and superior if you obey & give place, it shall be reputed to your commendation and praise. There is no man so vile, but his love may stand in stead to you, and of the poorest man's hatred, you may have some time hurt.  
¶ Thus I say both for the worldly wisdom, and also for the bonds of your faith, you must take heed to this warning: & the more ye be inclined not only to be quickly angry, but also to nourish long your anger: the more diligence you must bitimes take, to correct and amend your nature, remembering always your chief care, that pertaineth to the first thing, the which is with nothing more hurted and hindered, in his way to grace ward, then with the breaking of love and charity. And as often as you be angry, so often pluck you your soul from the presence of god, by the same passion. Also you disquiet your body, and often times follow diseses by the fires pursuing of a grief, & sometime by rages chanceth plain battle, & thereof your body standeth ever in jeopardy. Also nothing more hindereth the gains of your iii care, them doth unpatient chiding with other. For it causeth many to forbear company: and by that ever followeth loss of occupy. And sometime a good word behind your back may advantage you more than a long sailing in to Spain, and an evil word likewise may do you more hurt than a loss of a ship: Let no man have cause to be angry with you, and ever you be sure to be well reported by.  
One other thing or two I would warn you of, with as many words as I have done of the said passion, if I thought not that by the reading of the said works, you shall much better than I can show you, not only i'll from all misbehavors, & corrupt uses of ill fantasies, but also follow the clean piked virtues, and by your own study grow to be a perfect man, in the favour of god & all other. No man shall counsel you better, than you shall do your own self, if in reading you will examine secretly your conscience, whether such ꝓpretis be in you as you read, or no. If they be in you & be dispreised, determine with yourself to amend them: if they be not in you, & be good, determine with yourself to get them. As in reading you shall here above all other faults dispraised, an untrue tongue, 
untrue tongue.  which bringeth a man out of credence, a thing very hurtful for merchants, whose craft you be like to exercise: & beside it sore offendeth the ears of god, to here his best beloved creature make that noise against his knowledge & privy conscience: where nothing garnisheth man's voice better than troth of his tale. This thing chief apꝑteineth to the care of the soul, that is your first charge. It maketh also for the ii and for the iii care. For surely when the mind is disquieted with the remembrance of the offence in dying, the body hath his part of ill rest: And by the same untrue speaking moche hurt and damage ensueth against your credence, a thing I say most necessary to be kept and maintained of all them, that seek by merchandise any lucre or gains. Therefore let your mind my good Withipol never delight to utter any lie. Either speak not, or speak truly. what fault so ever you may do, let it not be defended with a false tale: for that were to i'll out of the smoke in to the fire, as to do a worse fault in choking an ill, and in the mean season your soul suffereth a sore stroke. This ever as you read of this matter, have mind of yourself to take fruit of your reading.  
¶ In consideration also of all three parts, that is to say, both for the defence of your soul's state, & for the wealth of your body, and also for the worldly goods sake, use in all your acts a certain commendable wisdom, never to be none of these busy meddlers: Leave other men's faults, leave correcting, that you have no power in, leave teaching of that you know not. Let the gospel be ordered by them, that be admitted for doctors thereof.  
Let the priests be blamed of them that have the rule of the order. Let common ceremonies and all old customs alone. Put ever your trust in the power and will of god, and obey to he consent of the church, without quarrelling or resisting. Go you fourth your way after the meek steps of a true christian man. Let the world bluster and blow as it will, be you none of the blowers. Scourge who will, be you none of the scourgers. For believe me, sooner shall the rod, than the child that is beaten, be cast in to the fire. In eschewing all meddling, you shall save your goods, you shall keep your body from travail, and by the same means you shall best provide a sure buckler for your soul. 
Obedience.  For under the clock of obedience, chance what chance shall, your soul is ever sure for taking any hurt: the justice of god will keep you harmless, how some ever the tempest of enormities overfloweth this world. If you should be malapert, 
malapert.  and presume to be a doer: report me to you, what may in this world happen to your undoing both in goods & body, & by the same trouble you shallbe cast from the succour of god, who abideth not any presuntion. You fall in to presumption, 
presumption.  when you grudge against your rulers, though they be worthy of all dispraises. You presume, when you meddle with them, that be not under you. You presume, when you take in hand to amend this or that, where your part is not to speak. And specially you be presumptuous, when you dare crack, that you know gods wil Leave therefore my good Edmond, all manner of meddling, and pray to god to accept your obedience. Pray also bitterly, that his will may be fulfilled in this world among us, as the angels fulfil in heaven.  
Thus pray, and meddille no farther. For I assure you, it is so to be done.  
¶ Many my things might be said for these iii cares, but to you I reckon it enough this much that I have here touched. yet one word or ii more shall not be superfluous. For I would not have you deceived by any word that I have here used: As peradventure you might be, if I should thus leave you. seeing that I have bed you first to care for your soul, next to care for your body, and thirdly to care for the goods of this world. Moreover I said, there be goods of the soul, goods of the body, goods of this life. But let these words be to you as not spoken in their exact and proper signification. For to speak truly, there is no care but one, nor there be no goods but of one. We must have a certain slight regard to our body, & a slighter regard to the world: but care we may not for neither of these two. You know, that to care were to take an inward weighty thought: the which must not be taken, but for a thing of great worthiness, and also of more surety, than is either our body, or the world. Only our soul is the thing to be cared fore: and these small commodities, with certain praty pleasures of the body, and the world, can not truly be named goods: for in very deed they be not good. For this word good includethe a dignity in him that savoureth of god and heaven: So that though things be only worthy to be called goods, the which have a ꝑpetuitie and steadfastness of godly substance: Other things variable, changeable, flyttering, such as may be taken from us mawgree our heed, be not worthy of this high name. Neither the body nor yet fortune hath any goods: our spirit & mind only hath things, that truly be called goods, the which be so constantly and surely ours, that ever they remain with us in spite of all chances, and all our adversaries. Mercy, pity, devotion, meekness, soberness, patience, faythefulnes, charity, and such other virtues be the very true goods, the which we may justly reckon ours, & for them we should continually labour. For these be the substance that our soul must have, to be with them richly decked and garnished, that we may have our holy day array, and our nuptial vesture according, to come to the great feast, that Christ saith we shall once be called to.  
All these false goods of the bodies lustynges, 
false goods.  beauty, fairness, strength, health: and also these trifling goods of Fortune, royal houses, large heritance, great rents, implementis, costly apparel, gold, silver, honour, power, friendship, nobility, and what you will else in this world: All these vain things, both of body and fortune, can make but a ragged garment for our soul, the which shall be with extreme shame drawn from the said feast, if it come in god's presence with these beggarly rags. This saying good Wythipolle, I speak to ease and comfort your mind: for by this tale that is true, you now learn, that all though before I said you should have three cares in this life, yet in deed you have but one care, the which is to care for the true goods, that be to be purchased for the souls wealthy state. Wherefore of your three cares, strike of two, if you will speak of earnest care. Yet I will stick a little more with you in this point: for fain I would you should see a true mark, whereby you may govern and rule all your fantasies and opinions. If your fantasy be well directed to the true mark, you can not miss of the right path to virtue, the which bringeth man thither, where he shall receive the inestimable reward for his travail. I say your soul only must be cared for: and this only care must be to get and keep the true goods, that be only the goods of the mind: Other goods be not called properly goods. you see how these praty commodities of the body, & also these small gifts of fortune, mawgree our heed be taken from us, as I can not escape always sickness, I can not escape misfortunes: I can not flee from the cruel hands of tyrants, I may be cast into tortures, I may rot in fetters, I may lose all my substance, by water, by fire, by thieves, or by other violent robbery. Against these chances no man can resist, no care nor thought prevaileth to assure us, either of our bodies or of such goods.  
Wherefore learn you, that I say before god, we have no goods, but only the goods of the spirit and mind, the which goods (as I have said) be so sure ours, that they can not be taken from us, but with our own will consenting to the loss of them. In this spirytualle possession, every man is an invincible emperor. We may despise all violence of princes, all worldly chances touching the keeping of virtue, maugre the whole power of the devil, & all his retinue. Here of learn and mark mine Edmonde, wherein you may be hurted, that your care may the better be bestowed.  
For to care where you have no hurt it is needles: or not to care, where you be hurted, is a blind ignorance.  
¶ We be hurted when we lose any part of God's favour, we lose God's favour, when we lose any goods of the mind: we lose the goods of the mind, when we either rejoice of the having bodily & worldly goods, or make sorrow of the lacking the same. we be not hurted, when god continueth his favour, when we decay not in the strengthiss of mind: we decay not in the strengths of mind when we be not overcome, neither with the gladness of the bodis and worlds prosperity, nor with bewailing of their adversity. Thus you see, neither in the goods of the body, nor in the goods of the world, you can other take or escape hurt: it is only the virtue of your mind, wherein you must search, whether you be safe or hurted.  
¶ Now when you know the place of your hurt, know also what may do you hurt, that you may be more chary of your hurter.  
You see ones, the place wherein you may be hurted, is your secret mind, a very sure place. For it is not fire nor water: nor thief that can come there: it is no princes sword, that can pierce into this place it is no misslucke of fortune that can light upon your spirit: finally there is no devil of hell, that can fasten a stroke upon you, to do you in this place any hurt. This should be a greater gladness unto you to consider, in how strong a tower you be from all hurt: but see then again, who it is that may hurt you. For surely you can not be hurted but of one, in whom is power to do hurt: this is your own free will. This will of yours & nothing else, hath power to hurt you. See shortly in ensample, how your lands be taken from you, you be spoiled of your goods, fire burneth up your house, you be haled to prison, you be beaten, you be torn with whips, you be drawn upon the racks, you lie in chains, you come forth to open shame, you suffer cold, you be gnawn with hunger and thirst, finally you be put to death. what of all this? yet I can not say, that you be hurted: I see that with all this the favour & grace of good may continued with you, as it did with the holy martyrs. And also before Christis passion holy job suffered all this, & was not hurted. This is a great comfort for you, to see that nothing can hurt you but only your own self. This is the high grace of god, that so hath made man to be over all a mighty conqueror, that can take no hurt but of himself. Wherefore I trust you will live ever safe and sound. For I will not think, that ever you will be so mad, as to hurt yourself. Than for these trifles of the body and world, take no care: it it is neither the second thing nor the third thing, that can be so unto you, that in either of them you can de hurted. Marry take heed, lest by the displeasures done in the second and in the third, you of madness take occasion to be hurted, and willingly hurt yourself in the first thing, the which only is the place, where you may be hurted. And none beside your own will hath power to hurt you there: as if in the time of the loss of worldly goods, you will fret in anger, you will despise god, you will curse and ban, you will enforce to be avenged, you cry out in fury & madness: now take you thought & care, for surely you be hurted, and your chief jewel hath a great loss. For god withdraweth from your soul a great part of his grace: so that this hurt you do to your own self by this frowardness. Likewise whylste your body is tormented, either with sickness or otherwise: if you therefore forsake patience, and swell in wroth: you be than hurted in deed, but of noon other person beside yourself only.  
Thus you may take from the second and the third, in the which two you can not be hurted, an occasion to hurt yourself, & to have thereof a great cause of a sore and an earnest care, for the peril that your soul thereby falleth in.  
¶ To confirm you the faster in these right opinions, I would you red the little book of Epictetus, 
Epicteus.  entitled his Enchiridion, well translated into latin by Angelus Politianes: But to say the troth the work is so briefly and darkly written, that without a comment or a good master, you shall not perceive the fruit of the text. I am in mind, if I may have thereto leisure, to translate the comment of Simplicius upon the said work: and then shall you find such sweetness in that book, that I believe it will ravish you in to an higher contemplation, than a great sort of our religious men come to. And one thing believe me, my good withipol, that in reading of these old substantial works, the which I have named unto you, shall beside the perfection of knowledge, gender a certain judgement in you, that you shall never take delight nor pleasure in the trifles and vain inventions that men now days writ, to the inquietinge of all good order: by reason that the most part of men that read these new flittering works, lack perfect judgement to describe a weighty sentence fro me a light clause, the which judgement can not be gotten, but by a long exercising of our wits with the best sort of writers.  
And to me it is a pitiful thing, to behold the foolish dreams of these young clerks in men's hands: & to see these noble old works of the holy fathers and philosophers lie untouched. Where if these new writers speak any thing well, it is picked out of this ancient books. But what so ever these petye clerks pike out now a days, for the most part it is defaced and brought out of good fashion with their evil handling.  
¶ I will now make an end, it is sufficient to a willing mind, such as I trust is in you, to have with a friends finger the way appointed, where you must walk, if you will proceed in virtue: the which is only the thing, that maketh a man both happy in this world, and also blessed in the world to come. Believe you my counsel, and use the same, or else hereafter you will peradventure bewail your negligence. Far ye well.  
At More a place of my lord cardinals, in the feast of saint Bartholomew. 1529.   

LONDINI IN AEDIBUS THOMAE BERTHELET.  
ANNO. M.D.XXXV.  
CUM PRIVILEGIO.