¶ Here beginneth the prologue or prohemye of the book called Caton/ which book hath been translated in to english by Master Benet Burgh/ late archdeacon of Colchestre and high canon of saint stephen's at westmestre/ which full craftily hath made it in ballad ryal for the erudition of my lord Bousher/ son & heir at that time to my lord the earl of Estsex And by cause of late came to my hand a book of the said Caton in french/ which rehearseth many a fair learning and notable ensamples/ I have translated it out of french in to english/ as all along here after shall appiere/ which I present unto the city of london/ UNto the noble ancient/ and renowned city/ the city of london in Englond/ I William Caxton Cytezeyn & coniurye of the same/ & of the fraternity & felauship of the mercery own of right my service & good will/ and of very duty am bounden naturally to assist aid & council as farforth as I can to my power/ as to my mother/ of whom I have received my noureture & living/ And shall pray for the good prosperity & policy of the same during my life/ For as me seemeth it is of great need/ by cause I have known it in my young age moche more wealthy prosperous & richer than it is at this day/ And the cause is that there is almost none/ that intendeth to the common weal but only every man for his singular profit/ O when I remember the noble romans/ that for the common weal of the city of Rome/ they spent not only their movable goods/ but they put their bodies & lives in jeopardy & to the death/ as by many a noble ensample we may see in th'acts of romans/ as of the two noble scipions African & Asyan/ Actilius & many other/ And among all other the noble Catho author and maker of this book/ which he hath left for to remain ever to all the people for to learn in it and to know how every man ought to rule and govern him in this life/ as well for the life temporal/ as for the life spiritual/ And as in my judgement it is the best book for to be taught to young children in school/ & also to people of every age it is full convenient if it be well understanden/ And by cause I see that the children that been borne within the said city increase/ and profit not like their faders and olders/ but for the most part after that they been comen to their perfect years of discretion/ and ripeness of age/ how well that their faders have left to them great quantity of goods/ yet scarcely among ten two thrive/ I have seen and 〈◊〉/ ●●other lands in diverse cities/ that of one name and lygn●●● successively have endured prosperously many heirs/ 〈◊〉 v or uj ninety year/ and some a thousand/ And in this noble city of london/ it can uneath continue unto the third heir or scarcely to the second/ O blessed lord when I remember this I am all abashed/ I can not judge the cause/ but fairer ne wiser ne bet bespoken children in their youth been nowher than there been in london/ but at their full riping there is no carnel ne good corn founden but chaff for the most part/ I wo●●e well there be many noble and wise/ and prove well & been better and richer than ever were their faders/ And to th'end that many might come to honour and worship/ I intend to translate this said book of cathon/ in which I doubt not/ and if they will read it and understand they shall much the better con rule themself there by/ For among all other books this is a singular book/ and may well be called the regiment or governance of the body and soul/ There was a noble clerk named pogius of Florence/ And was secretary to pope eugeny/ & also to pope Nycholas which had in the city of Florence a noble & well stuffed library/ which all noble straungyers' coming to Florence desired to see/ And therein they fond many noble and rare books And when they had axed of him which was the best book of them all/ and that he reputed for best/ He said/ that he held Cathon glossed for the best book of his lyberarye/ then sith that he that was so noble a Clerk held this book for the best/ doubtless/ it must follow that this is a noble book/ and a virtuous/ and such one that a man may eschew all vices and ensue virtue/ then to th'end that this said book may profit unto the herars of it/ I beseech almighty god that I may achieve and accomplish it unto his laud and glory And to therudition and learning of them that been ignorant that they may there by profit and be the better/ And I require and beseech all such that find fault or error/ that of their charity they correct and amend it/ And I shall heartily pray for them to almighty god/ that he reward them ●●N this small little book is contained a short and profitable doctrine for all manner of people/ the which is taken & composed upon the said book of Cathon with some additions & authorities of holy doctors & prophets/ And also many Histories & ensamples authentic of holy faders & ancient chronicles true & approved/ Item this little book shall be divided in two parties pryncipal/ The first party principal is the proheme which beginneth Cumanimaduerterem/ And endureth unto Itaque deo supplica/ The second party pryncipal/ is the trayttye and all the manner of this present book/ which beginneth Itaque deo supplica/ anendureth unto the end of the said little book/ Item this second party principal is divided in two parties/ the first is in prose/ And the second in verse/ the first party which is in prose beginneth Itaque deo supplica/ And endureth unto Si deus est animus/ the which containeth lvi commandments Item the second party which is in verse/ is subdyvyded in to four parties/ The first beginneth at Si deus est animus/ & endureth unto Telluris si forte/ the which containeth forty commandments/ The second party beginneth at Telluus si forte/ & endureth unto/ Hoc quicunque velis/ which containeth xxxv commandments/ The third party beginneth at hoc quicunque/ & endureth to Securam quicunque/ which containeth xxuj commandments/ the fourth party beginneth at Securam/ and endureth unto th'end of the book/ And containeth luj commandments/ And so this present little book containeth in some two ninety xiii commandments/ as well in prose as in verse/ But to th'end that th'histories and examples that been contained in this little book may be lightly founden/ And also for to know upon what commandments they been adjusted and alleged/ they shall be set and entitled by manner of Rubrysshe in the commandment upon which each shall be contained and alleged/ And they shall be signed as that followed of the number of leaves where they shall be wreton/ The causes wherefore idolatry was founden folio/ secundo Of the seven spices of idolatry/ folio iij An ensample how usurers and their heirs been dampened unto the tenth degree/ folio v An ensample of a cautel that a woman did to her husband Folio uj An ensample of a child that beat of his faders nose/ folio seven An ensample of them that have loved the master of the school/ folio ix The sins and Inconuenientes that comen of playing foreboden/ Foyes/ xj Of xii follies and abusions contained in players/ fo/ xii An ensample of a player at dice that demanded of saint Bernard/ if he would play his horse at dice against his soul/ folio/ xii The six manner of people tofore whom men ought to be ashamed to do evil/ folio xiii Of abstinence and of them that sometime eat no flesh ne drunk win/ fo/ xiv The prouffytees that comen of of soberness and abstinence folio xiv An ensample of the powder of mondglorye/ and how it maketh to sleep/ Folio xiv An ensample of a Bawd and of her cat named pasquette/ Foyes/ xv The harms that comen of overmuch drinking of win/ fo xuj An ensample of a wise Senator/ which ordained that who so were take in adultery should lose both his eyen/ folio xuj An ensample of a king that ordained the slowest of his three sons should be his heir after his death/ Foyes xvij morality against heresies/ folio/ xviij An ensample of harm that cometh of overmuch sleep/ folio/ nineteen An ensample ofan old woman that did that which the devil couth not do in thirty year/ folio xx Of a queen that had a child by her cook/ fol/ xxj Of saint Moses that was chosen for to judge his brother folio/ xxj An ensample of an hound that bore a piece of flesh in his mouth fo xxij Ensample of two women and two brethren/ fo/ twenty-three The xuj signs by which is known who is loved/ fo/ twenty-three The four manners of praisings/ and wherefore men ought not to believe flatterers/ folio/ xxiv An ensample how the four elements menac all men that thank not god of the goods that he hath sent them/ fo/ xxiv Of a prophet that had liefer die thamn do against the law/ Folio xxv Of a jew that had suspicion of mary magdalene/ fo xxv A marvelous history of king Alysandre/ fo/ xxvi Of a power man and of a rich man/ fo/ xx●● Of the feasting of three goddesses/ folio/ xx●●● Of an Abbot that continually by three days to fore his 〈◊〉 held his eyen open/ folio xx●●●● An History of the city of Rome/ And how it was in great poverty by fortune of war/ folio/ xxviij The evils that follow of poverty/ and of breaking of promise folio xxix Of saint Ambrose that reproved openly th'emperor of his sin/ Folio thirty Of Octavian th'emperor that died his children to learn craft/ folio/ thirty Ensample of joseph and of the king of Egypte/ Foyes/ thirty What things may be demanded of god rightwysly/ folio xxxi Ensample of an avision of an holy man of the waves of the see of the lion and of the Serpent/ Folio thirty An ensample of two fellows that put in writing all that which one gaf to that other/ Folio/ xxxiij How noises and strife should be eschewed for/ v/ causes Folio/ xxxiij An ensample of two hosyers'/ one pour and that other rich/ Folio xxxiiij An ensample of the hen/ and of a Rich man/ Folio xxxii●● against them that demand why god hath made them/ And wot well they shall be dampened/ folio xxxuj against them that say/ that it is of necessity/ that it come that/ which god knoweth that it ought to come// Folio xxxuj against them that say/ that if a man be borne in a good planets/ that he shall be well fortuned/ folio/ xxxvij against them ●●hat say that all things that been and shall been/ been ordained by. god/ and that they may none other wise been ne happen/ folio xxxvij An ensample of an holy man that required our lord/ that he would show to him/ what thing was death/ Folio xxxviij How they may be appeased that been angry/ folio xxxix An ensample of mostard seed/ and of a stone named Agathes/ Folio xl Ensample of a Serpent named Cocadrylle/ folio/ xl Ensample of a clerk that said/ if ●●e were predestynat to be saved/ he might not be dampened/ And in like wise the contrary/ folio xlj against them that been sortileges of herbs and of writings for to hele men or horses/ Folio xlj How they that been farm and constant in adversity get great goods/ Folio xlij How for 〈◊〉 causes no man ought to praise himself ne will 〈◊〉 be praised of other/ Folio xliij An ensample of paynims of time past that were in Rome/ Folio xliij History of an holy hermit and of a child thant dwelled with him/ Folio xliiij against thinfidels that say/ that each man may be saved in his faith/ and in his law as fer as he believeth/ that it is good and pleasant/ Folio xlv An ensample how saint Ambrose was lodged with an host which was alway fortunate Folio xluj Of four evils/ that comen of excess and voluptees Folio xlvij Of iiij manner of dreams/ Folio/ xlviij The inconvenients that come to them that keep not the commaundementis/ and of the goods that come to them that keep them/ Folio/ xlix In how many manners the evil sleen the good after right canon/ folio xlix An ensample of one that was idle/ which reproved an Abbot by cause he set his monks to labour Foyes/ l Ensample of one that was pour that complained to Socrates of his poverty/ Folio lij Four manner of persons that keep not true love Foyes liij Ensample of a woman that bore her husband on hand that he was becomen a Monk/ Folio lv How the avaricious men doubten the four elements and each creature/ Folio lvij An ensample how the avaricious man eat iiij pieces of gold And how the fourth strangled him lviij Ensample of a rich man that had liefer lose his one eye than to give a Floryn for to hele him/ Folio lix Of them to whom may not be rendered ne yoleden good again/ Folio lix How there may be founden iiij manners of Friends/ fo/ lxj Of the sacrifice that thauncyents made to god for to have remission of their sins/ Folio lxj How an old man should not be scorned Foyes/ lxij What thing is death natural/ And why it ought not to be doubted/ Folio lxiij Wine taken by measure profiteth to the person/ as it appeareth by many reasons/ Folio lxiij The things most Inconstable in this word been four/ Folio lxiiij Ensample of the goddess Syrses/ that said that she was daughter of the son/ Foyes lxiiij Of the four signs or tokens/ by which is known true love/ Folio/ lxv By win and women comen anlle the evils of the world folio lxvi Ensample of him that had lost his son & his money/ folio lxvii How a man ought to suffer four things for his true friend/ folio lxviii How god punisheth some in this world/ Folio lxix Of the vision and debate against the fere of death/ and surety of the death/ folio lxx History of a wise man that loved three friends/ Foyes lxxi Of five causes wherefore ought to be had displaysyre of the death of evil people/ folio lxxii Of five causes wherefore ought to be had joy of the death of good people/ folio lxxii Thus endeth the table and the Rubrishes of this present book which is called caton in english right singular and profitable/ And over and above these that be comprised in this said table is many a notable commandment/ learning and council much profitable which is not set in the said register or rubrysshe/ cum animaduerterem quam plurimos homines errare in via morum/ Succurrendum & consulendum opinioni eorum fore existimaui-Maxime ut gloriose viverent & honorem contingerent/ nunc te fili carissime docebo quo pacto mores tui animi componas/ Igitur mea precepta ita legito ut intelligas/ legere enim et non intelligere negligere est When I remember & consider in my courage/ that moche people err grievously in the way of manners and of good doctrines because they use no manner of justice ne of reason/ by which they be the more disordinate/ & obstinate in their iniquity & evil/ for the which cause I have delivered & concluded oft-times how I might remedy/ correct/ succour/ & give good counsel to their false & disordinate opinion & Injustice/ because that many hold & sow many errors divorce & contrary to good justice/ equity/ & reason/ & therefore I have delibered in mine heart to help & correct the errors & false opinions/ for every by right & law written aught to correct his proper error/ & also therrour of his neighbour & of his christian brother/ to th'end that every man might live gloriously/ that is to say virtuously/ & that he may to th'honour & praising of god and of the world/ by cause that they that live virtuously/ use reason/ justice/ & equity/ & have praising of god and of all the world/ And this is that the phylopher saith in the book of the etiques/ which saith for to come to worship and praising is none other thing but to have witness in himself of some good and virtue/ how be it that some good is spiritual/ as virtue or science/ And temporal as been richesses and puyssaunces'/ And therefore my right dear and well-beloved son I shall teach & show to the clearly in the doctrines & commandments/ that thou shalt here hereafter/ That is to weet the form and the manner/ how thou mayst rule the manners of thy courage/ That is to know how thou mayst rule and govern thy body and thy soul in this world/ as well in good works spiritual/ as in good works temporal/ and therefore read and read eft again oft times my commandments in such wise that thou understand them/ & retain them in thy mind/ For to read & not understand is a thing dyspyteuse and unprofitable and of no profit/ in which there abideth no truth profitable ne no perfection of intendment/ for it is said in a common proverb/ that he that readeth/ & no thing understandeth doth as much as he that hunteth and no thing taketh/ And therefore it sufficeth not to read my commandments/ without they be understonden/ and to what purpose I have said them/ For thou oughtest to read & read them eft again more than an hundred times/ or unto the time that thou understand them/ and retain them well and perfitly/ And then thou shalt ●●conne rule thy body & thy soul in this world/ & therefore may this book well & aught to be entitled the r●●ile & government of the body and of the soul/ Itaque deo supplica THe first commandment is that thou oughtest to pray and adore god thy creator only and none other/ For if so were that honour and reverence that is due to god/ were given to any other creature/ than to god/ that should be idolatry as thou shalt here hereafter/ And thou oughtest to know that there be five manners/ for to bear and do honour and reverence to god his creator/ That is to weet/ to work/ adore/ swear sacrifice/ & praise by cause that god is the unyversel commaundour of all our production/ beginning and government/ Thou oughtest to know that idolatry is none other thing/ but tenbaunce and give the reverence/ that aught to be given to god to any other creature/ Therefore I will show how idolatry was first found/ and there been five causes/ The first was for to eschew the melancholy of the death of some persons/ hereof recounteth the wise man/ of a man that lost his son/ whom he loved much heartily/ But for t'eschew the melancholy of the death of his son/ and for to have perpetual remembrance of him/ did do make an image unto the resemblance of the figure of his son/ the which image he commanded to be worshipped by his subgettes and servants upon pain of inobedience/ Of this first cause of idolatry recounteth saint Gregore in his xj chapter of saint luke/ How the king of nynyue when he was deed in battle his son which was king after him/ did do make an image to the resemblance of his father/ the which image he adored devoutly/ & commanded expressly to be worshipped and adored of all the subgettes of his royalme/ And to th'end that his subgettee should have the more greater devotion to the said image/ he did do make an edycte or a decree/ that all they that had commised offence against the ryal majesty/ that they should adore the said image/ and all that so did should be pardoned/ The second cause wherefore idolatry was founden was for the great pride and surquerdrye of some princes which sometime made them to be adored and worshipped as god/ As we have an ensample of the king Nabugodonosor/ For to the end that he should be adored as god/ He commanded to olofernes which was prince of his land and of his chivalry/ that he should destroy all the gods of his royalme/ to th'end that he should be reputed and honoured as god in all his country/ The third cause was founden by adulation or flattery/ For to Impetre some graces against some lords/ as done they that been pour/ which adore the rich princes & great lords as they were gods/ For to have their grace and benevolence/ hereof recounteth saint austin in the tenth book of the city of god that saith/ that many things been taken away fro th'honour and adoring divine/ the which been atrybued & given to kings & princes temporal/ in giving to them greater honour & reverence than they do to god/ this spice of idolatry reigneth yet at this day with kings & princes of this world which make themself to be adored more than god/ The iiij cause of idolatry/ was by cause that they adored the idols/ when they were required of any thing/ and that they gate or had as they demanded they supposed that the devils that were within the images had might & power upon them & upon the Elements/ as for to do sense all tempests/ all maladies/ & adversities that might happen to them/ which thing was suffered to come to them by divine sufferance/ as it shall be declared hereafter/ The v cause of idolatry was for his evil covetise/ and that was for to get the goods & honours of this world/ as done they ●●hat sell them & give them to the devils to the end tha●● thereaway accomplish their evil wills & worldly desires/ THere be found seven spices of idolatry/ the first is for to adore the devils/ The second to adore the light/ as the son the moan & the stars/ the third is for to worship elements as the fire the earth the water & the eyer/ The fourth is to adore men and the creatures reasonable/ The fifth is to adore the beasts brute and unreasonable/ The sixth is to adore the images and other figures human/ I say not that men ought not to worship thimages of saints of heaven and of the virgin mary for so moche as they give us memory/ & make representation of 〈◊〉 sa●●tes that been in heaven/ and none otherwise/ For it should 〈◊〉 be idolatry/ the seven is to adore the time/ & know ye that for to adore all these things aforesaid as god/ is heresy/ Parents ama THou oughtest to love thy father and mother next after god/ and to aid help & sustain them in their necessyt●●es/ Therefore saith the phylosophre/ 〈…〉 is as much to say as a name of love/ for the son ought to fail his father for no thing/ but aught to love him with very love & dilection without any fayntyse/ & to help & sustain him after his puissance and faculty/ as we read of a daughter/ that sometime nourished her father with her proper milk which was in prison/ for which cause her father was delivered out and rendered quit in remembrance perpetual of the great love that the sad daughter had to her father/ Cognatos ●●ole THou oughtest to honour and visit oft thy cousins and to have and hold them in great reverence/ But thou oughtest to know/ that there be three manner of cousins/ The first is spiritual as been godfaders and godmoders/ The second is legal/ the which cause is by adoption/ The third is carnal the which cometh by consanguynyte/ and by lineage natural/ Datum serva Thou oughtest to keep the thing that is given unto thee/ and to have it in mind in time coming/ to the end that thou mayst render and yield somewhat therefore/ For thou art bounden by right so to do/ so keep well the thing that is given to thee/ That is to vnderston●●●●hat thou keep well the yeft of a good man that is given to thee/ Like as a precious jewel for the honour and reverence of him/ And thus thou shalt be moved after to give him again/ but consider and think diligently before or thou give/ to whom thou oughtest/ to give/ Beneficij accepti Memor esto THou oughtest to remember of the benefits of the received/ And first thou oughtest to give than kings thereof to god thy creator/ Secondly to them that have given it to thee/ to th'end that in time and place thou mayst guerdon them/ that have so well done to the if they have need and necessity/ Maiori cede locum THou oughtest to give place to him that is greater & more of value than thou art/ that is to say when thou seest one more ancient & more honourable than thou art in any science dignity or office/ thou oughtest to bear to him honour and reverence in such manner as when thou art set/ thou oughtest to arise when thou seest him come/ And if he pass tofore the thou oughtest to incline and bow thy knee/ And if he go by the ware thou oughtest to accompany him/ Hereof we have ensample in the gospel that saith/ that when thou shalt be boden to any wedding or feast/ sit thou in the lowest place/ to the end that when he cometh that hath boden the say/ to the friend arise and sit upper/ And thus shalt thou be honoured of thassistentis in thy company/ For if thou sattest above in the highest place/ and he that bade the said/ ffrende descend and sit beneath/ that should be to the shame and dishonour and to them of thy company And therefore saith saint ancelme/ that the young people ought to be subject unto the ancient and obey them/ And saint Austyn saith/ that by right/ reason/ and justice the lass owen to obey to the greater/ And the younger ought to arise against the elder and more ancient and to give to him the chief place when they will sit/ Saluta Libenter Thou shouldest salue & great the people gladly/ that is to weet affectuously and with god heart without any feigning/ Not for to be salued again or by flattery or by adulation/ but thou oughtest to salue by humility and hole will/ For saluing is no thing else but to show good desire/ good will and affection to him that is salued/ to the end that he may draw and incline him to love and affabylite/ That is to wete against them that at this day salue their neighbours in such manner/ that such as they say with their mowthe/ is all contrary to that which the heart thinketh/ such people maken of their tongues swords/ and sin grievously/ and also it appeareth that for to show sign of love under the shadow of deception/ and it is a right great sin and great treason/ and also against the right course of nature/ For naturally every man ought to be loved of all other men/ For it is said commonly/ that there is none so evil an enemy/ as he that showeth him a friend by fyction & feigning for to deceive him to whom he showeth sign of love/ On that other part there is none so great hate as is love faint and palled under shadow of deception/ Mutuum da THou oughtest to lean/ and thou oughtest to keep the thing that is given to the to keep/ to the end that thou mayst give a count/ when thou shalt be required/ And also thou shalt leanly/ that is to weet to the suffratouse and needy when they have necessity for good and very love and charity without any vsure/ For thou oughtest to lean without any hope of any gain as saith Saint luke/ leanly without hope to have any gain/ For to do so warneth us holy scripture right canon and nature/ For no man ought to leanly his neighbour for vsure/ ne give out his silver to vsure/ For nature and good equity will that a man should help and lean his neighbour when he is in necessity wythouten any vsure/ For it is against nature to take vsure/ and win with the money that he hath lente/ And ye shall understand that the usurers sin more grievously then any other sinner/ For all other sinners cessen oft their sins/ But the usurers ne sense never of their sins/ for night and day every hour/ feasts and sundays they sin and taken their vsure continually without secing Therefore may be said that they sin more grievously then any other sinners/ Item it may be said that they be worse then judas/ For judas sold Ihesu christ only/ but these sell the virgin mary/ and all the saints of heaven and their parents and heirs unto the tenth lineage/ as it appeareth in an example that here followeth/ It is red in vytis patrum of a good man/ that required of god that he would show him the pains of hell/ To whom our lord sent an angel/ which led him in to hell/ and there he saw many torments/ that they that been dampened suffren/ Among all other pains he saw a ladder which had ten degrees or stappes/ and in each degree was a man hanging by order/ whom the devils beat & all to tore with hooks of iron much terribly/ and above all the other dampened in hell/ it seemed to this good man that these ten men suffreden more torment and pain thenne all the other wherefore he prayed the angel to tell him why these x men were so hanged in that ladder/ and so horribly tormented/ and what men they were/ then answered the angel to him and said this old man that thou seest that is in the highest place of the ladder is an usurer/ the which by vsure hath gotten great richesses and possessions/ and by cause he died without making of restitution/ he is hanged in the highest place of the ladder and all his heirs that have posseded the said herirages/ & been deed without making restitution be hanged by order on this ladder unto the tenth degree one after another/ like as thou seest/ Cui des videto Thou oughtest to take heed to whom thou givest when thou wilt give or do any alms/ and this is that ecclesiaste saith in his fourteenth chapter/ which saith when thou shalt give or shalt do any alms/ know thou well & behold to whom thou shalt do it/ Item saint Iherome saith/ give to the pour people/ and not to the rich/ and not to the proud/ Also he that will give/ aught to consider three things/ first that it which he will give for alms be truly gotten/ for of evil gotten good/ no man ought to give all mess/ secondly he ought to hold order & manner in giving for first he ought to give & help himself/ after to his parentis kin and neighbours/ and after to strangers if he have whereof/ Thirdly he ought to give by very charity and love without any vainglory/ Coniugem Ama THou oughtest to love thy wife as thyself/ Nevertheless the wife by right law divine/ and human she ought to be subject to her husband/ and to keep to him faith and truth/ and to serve and obey to him in all things lycite and honest/ Also the man ought to entrete his wife heartily and sweetly/ and to love her by very love/ For as they been made one flesh by carnal copulation or bodily fellowship/ also they ought to be one heart and one thought by very dilection or love/ Item the woman ought to love her husband and to bear to him faith and truth & reverence and to obey him as long as he shall live/ Also the man ought to love his wife and to keep to her faith and truth/ and to teach and endoctrine her all good conditions notwithstanding that many done the contrary/ It is red in the ancient histories or chronicles of Rome/ that there was sometime a woman noble & of great lineage which mysrewled herself & was of evil governance/ For the which cause her husband made her to be put & shut within a tour and toward her went never no body save only her husband/ It happened on a day as she was looking out of a window of the said tour which was nigh by the walls of the city/ that she saw a student or scholar warning that way which she knew before that time/ And as ●●e scholar perceived her he said to her/ alas lady what do you there so high within this tour/ Certainly said she my husband hath put me here within/ and beareth the keys of this tour with him in such manner that from hens I ne depart neither by night nor by day/ For at night he layeth the keys under his bolster/ Ha said the clerk if he will believe me I shall find well the manner how at night ye shall scape at your pleasure/ Certainly said she/ thereof I pray you and I promyt you to do all that shall please you/ then said the clerk/ I shall bring to you to morrow some powder of man deglorye/ of the which ye shall give to him secretly for to drink at his sowper/ and for certain he shall soon after fall on a sleep/ in so much that none shall mow awake him/ Ye shall thenne take the keys from under his bolster/ & thenne ye shall come to speak with me here beneath/ and to guider we shall disport us/ and after ye shall return and laye●●he keys by him again/ For know ye for certain that he shall not awake for no stering or noise that ye shall make/ wherefore do that to morrow/ ye have a small cord made of the thread that ye spin and as long that it may reach unto the ground/ and then the little sack full of the said powder I shall bind thereto/ And of this covenant was the woman content/ and in deed the clerk brought on the morn next the said powder/ and she drew it up unto her and took it/ And so much she did that on that same night she gave to her husband of the said powder/ both in his meet and in his drink/ the which soon after he went to bed/ and began incontinent to fall in a strong sleep in so much that the tour might have be beaten and smitten down or he should have been awaked/ And then when she saw that he slept she went and took the keys and opened all the doors and yates of the tower and came down to the clerk which entered within the tour and layed them both upon a led which was in a chamber beneath/ and three hours they leye to guider/ taking their pleasure/ And after the wife returned and went upward and laid her by her husband again/ which was moche subtle and was all abashed that he had slept longer than he was accustomed to done/ Hit happened then on an even when he had sowped that he went to bed/ and forthwith made semblant to be on sleep and strongly he began to rout/ and when she saw him a sleep as she supposed/ she took the keys and went down to the clerk as she was accustomed/ And then when her husband felt that she was gone/ he rose up and went and shut the door of his chamber and went again to his bed For he must needs sleep three or four hours/ son after the woman came upward again & supposed for to have entered within the chamber as she was accustomed to do/ And she was much abashed when she fond the door of it shut/ but she knocked at the door so long that she did awake her husband/ to whom she said thus/ alas ye have hasted you moche for to shut the door after me when I issued out for to have gone to do my natural need/ then answered to her her husband and said/ Dame harlot ye come from your ribaldry as ye be accustomed/ none ne may keep you therefro/ go again and return thither from whence ye came/ for ye shall never lie with me/ then was the woman much abashed and began to weep and to excuse her self/ saying/ that it was not truth/ And then yet again she required him much sweetly that he would open the door/ But for prayer ne request that she made to him he would not open it/ And when she saw that by no wise he would not open the door she began thus to cry with an high voice/ If ye open not the door I shall cast myself within the same pit which is hereby/ For rather I will be drowned then for to be dishonoured and shamed all the time of my life/ I care not therefore said her husband/ I would that thou were drowned all ready/ And she thenne took a great stone which was by the pit/ and casting it in the pit/ She said in this manner/ God be with you my friend I will go drown myself ye shall never see me on live/ And when the husband heard the noise & resowning of the stone within the water/ He rose up full hastily and all naked went out of his chamber toward the pit/ for he supposed that it had be his wife/ and fain would have rescued her/ but she was not so much a fool/ for she was hid behind the door/ the which incontinent after that her husband was issued out of the chamber she hastily entered in to his chamber & shut herself within/ and her husband without which was all naked/ and after she opened a window and began to cry & call her neighbours saying that her husband would kill her/ And thrynne there came the neighbours both men and women and also some of her parents/ and shortly to say after all allegations and complaints made of both parts/ there was none that might believe that it had be so as her husband said/ seeing that he kept her of so nigh & of so long time shut and that himself bore the keys of the said tour/ Wherefore in deed the husband was constrained to ask and require pardon and mercy of his wife/ and thus the peace was made/ By this ensample it appeareth clearly that great truth is not founden in some women/ Erudi libros THou oughtest to leche to thy children good doctrine and good conditions/ For the philosopher saith in the viii book of ethyques/ that the father is cause of all that the children done/ Wherefore they ought to be ●●lso cause of their conditions of doctrine/ For hereto been bounden of right not only the carnal faders/ but also the spiritual/ Boece recounteth in his book of discipline of the scholars of the son of lucressies which had to name Zeno/ the which his father did nourish in his youth without doctrine and without teaching/ the which Zeno expended both his goods and the goods of his father and played it at the dice/ and at tables/ and after that he became a thief in so much that his father kept and bought him again fro the gallows and fro dishonest death/ At the last he was taken and his father had no more good for to buy him and have his life again safe/ and in deed he was led unto the gallows for to be hanged/ the which Zeno or he was hanged he demanded of his father a gift/ that is to weet/ that he would kiss him or that he should receive death/ then as his father would have kissed him/ he boat his nose of with his teeth saying in this manner/ father if ye had well taught and en●●●tryned me in my youth in good conditions/ I should not have been brought hither for to be hanged/ and to receive a shameful death/ And therefore to th'end that ye know that ye have done evil/ & for to give ensample to the other/ I have bitten of your nose/ Therefore saith seneque that men must chastise & teach the children in their youth/ as thou hast ensample of all dumb beasts and of the trees and of herbs/ the which men bow and ply and use them in their youth in such manner plight as they will have them when they be older/ Familiam cura Thou oughtest to have the cure and the government of thy famylle or servants/ For thou art called father of thy servant/ because that among all thy servants thou art like a father and governor/ & of this thou shalt render and yield a count before god/ Item thou oughtest to know/ that after right canon the father of famylle/ and every man that hath any government or rule upon his household is bounden to it in three manners first he ought to have and to ordain to everrychone of his servants that/ that to him needeth/ Secondly he ought to know both the vices and the virtues of each of his servants/ the vices for to chastise and for to admonest them for to do well/ and the virtues for to reward them of the good which they do and have done before/ Thirdly every father of famylle aught to show good ensample to his servants/ to th'end that they be not corrumped by evil ensample/ In judicio adesto THou oughtest to be and to appiere in judgement/ that is to weet that he which is called in to judgement/ aught soon to come and to appyere thereto/ to th'end that he be not holden for a rebel and inobedient and put in to contumacy/ Be thou set in judgement that is to say that thou oughtest to be farm & steadfast in judgement specially when thou hast good right and good quarrel/ Foro te para THou oughtest to dispose & to make thyself ready for to answer before thy competent judge & to obey him That is to say that thou oughtest to obey the judge under whom thou art subject/ that is to weet to the jurisdiction and judgement of thy land or province/ For to do this/ right canon admonesteth and Inciteth us/ & also right law divine civil and moralle/ Ad pretorium stato THou oughtest to be in judgement for to understand the sentence of thy judge competent or ordinary that is to say that every person which is cited lawfully or rightfully before his judge ordinary ought not depart unto the time that the cause be declared good or evil/ to th'end that he be not put in to contumacy and condemned to pay thexpenses of the party adverse Equum judica THou oughtest to judge and to make just judgement and every judge aught to discute and examine the case of both parties in such manner that he may do equity and justice/ and render and yield to either of both parties his right/ Also thou oughtest to know/ that every judge aught to have four manners/ that is to weet four conditions/ The first is that he ought to be virtuous constant and steadfast/ and ought not to move him lightly by no favour love ne hate nor by request of some other/ The second condition is that he ought to have/ sapience and cunning to th'end that he may give and adiuge to every one his right justly/ The third is that he ought to have th'experience and Industry/ and to know what thing right is/ The fourth condition which a judge ought to ●●ue/ is that he ought to be of good fame & renomee & of conversation Minime judica THou oughtest to judge litil & not oft/ & when thou judgest/ judge thou by great and good delyberation and by sure council/ For doing otherwise thou shouldest not be rightful judge/ but shouldest do unjustice/ as done some judges which jugen by guess and at all adventure/ without making dew proof of any Information or inquest/ upon the case of which they must give a judgement And this doctrine is of general understanding/ & ought to be understonden of all judges/ to th'end that none jugen foolily the case of any other/ Pugna pro patria THou oughtest to fight for to keep and defend thy land and country/ That is to say that all thus as we be holden of right for to defend and keep our parente●● because that they have given to us our being/ and that they be our beginning/ Like wise we ought to keep and defend our land the which is cause and beginning of our protection & of all our goods/ Tulle saith that among all other charity/ the charity of our country aught to be loved & preferred before all other charitees/ for by the common we●●e of a land is saved all singular profits and utylytees/ because that of our country we take and have all that is needful to us/ that is to weet our elements/ vestementis or clothings habitations o●● di●●ellynges & delectations or pleasance/ jusiurandum serva THou oughtest to keep thine oath and to keep it steadfastly to th'end that thou forswear not thyself/ and or ever thou make any oath or any promise/ thou oughtest to consider/ if thou shalt mow hold and keep thine oath and thy promise/ Every man ought not for to be sworn in all his promises/ but in all his promises he ought to keep faith/ Item for to hold and keep faith the men been brought unto faith/ Item many men habyten and dwellyn by faith in the cities/ Item for to keep and hold faith/ the kings & princes have dominations & lordships Item for to keep faith their forteresses castles towns and cities been sure and safely kept/ Therefore everyone ought to keep well his faith/ Saint Austyn and Tulle say that a man ought not only to keep his faith unto his friends/ but also to his enemies/ Minorem te non contempseris tHou oughtest not to dispraise him which is less than thou art/ That is to say if some man come of lower degree than thyself/ proceedeth the in to some dignity or worship cunning or office/ Nevertheless thou oughtest not to dispraise him/ The prophet saith that like as in a body is many limbs/ Nevertheless all the limbs or members be●● not in one act only/ we be many bodies to guider only in christ/ And nevertheless every member serveth to his body/ Magistrum metue tHou oughtest to doubt and to obey to thy master and to bear him reverence and honour/ That is to say that not only they that been in dignity or office we owen to doubt and obey/ but also some which been particular in their office/ as been the masters of scoles/ Fo●● the scholars ought to doubt them/ and to bear unto them honour and reverence/ We read in the chronicles ancient/ that many Emperors and kings/ How be it that they were in great honour and dignity/ Nevertheless they have borne reverence and honour to their masters that taught them in their youth As it is red of troianus th'emperor/ which greatly honoured his master named Plustrate/ Item of alyxaunder which moche honoured his moister Socrates/ For he being within his chariot of worship descended down to the earth/ and to socrates made honour and reverence right excellen●●e and publicly/ Litteras disce THou shouldest learn the letters and the sciences For by letters and by science is the man made semblable or like to god/ As saith saint ambrose/ wherefore it appeareth that we own to learn the letters and the sciences Item thou oughtest to know that the scholar which will learn aught to have three principal conditions/ The first is that he ought not to dyspreys●● no scripture ne no science/ The second is that he ought not to have shame ne ve●●goyn to learn of all manner of men that shall mow teach him/ The third is that when he shall have learned well and that he shall be a great clerk/ that he dispraise none other/ For some been which will learn and know/ to th'end only that they may be reputed and holden sage and wise and for great lords/ The other will learn to th'end that they may sell their science and kunning for to get silver and honour/ As done these great advocates/ Libros lege tHou oughtest to read offtime the books/ and to put in to thy memory and affection that/ that they sayen/ But none ought to read foul sciences and of no●●e effect and full of error/ as been fools questions & sciences/ seculars/ ne also the fictions of poetry/ Que legeris memento tHou oughtest to read and to receive and to put in thy memory that/ that thou shalt read/ and to take to it dilectation & pleasure/ and that thou forget it not lightly/ as done many one that read without taking of it any pleasure/ For that that entryth in to one of their ears issueth out again by their other ear Nil temere crederis tHou oughtest not to believe no thing foolishly/ ne lightly that which men rehearseth to thee/ Seneque saith that first men must examine his council or men believe/ For he which that is of light believe is light of thought and of wit/ Item they which beleven against the articles of the faith/ and generally against our mother holy church universal beleven foolishly and sin deadly/ Nil mentire tHou oughtest not to make no losings/ For a man liar is wor●● thenne a thief/ For the thief slayeth but his body only/ but the liar sleeth both his body and his soul/ For losing is a sin dyabolyque/ And know thou that the first man that ever made the first losing was Cain/ because that he lied when our Lord god demanded of him/ where he had done his brother abel And he answered that he ne wist ne knew not where he was/ And that same time our lord gave to him the malediction or cursing/ Bonis benefacito tHou oughtest to do well to the good/ that is to say/ that men ought sooner to do well to the good folk then to the evil/ Seneque saith that it is better to do some good to some pour man/ then to an evil rich man// because that the rich man believeth not that the weal & honour that one beareth to them/ that is for the love of their money/ or else for to have & Impetre of them some good after their death/ & as long as they live/ Tute consul tHou oughtest to give good council to them that demandeth it of thee/ That is to weet that thou oughtest to give good council to them that demandeth it of the by good and sad delyberation/ For every man sage and prudent/ ought to have memory of the things passed/ and purveyance and advysemement upon the things which been yet for to come/ And thou oughtest to think oft how justly truly and lycylly thou shalt mow come to thine Intention/ and upon it take and demand council/ for none may find ne imagine of himself that which is to him needful/ And therefore everyone ought to take advise to his sayte or deed if he be suffysaunte of himself for to do and perform that which he had enterprised without ●●ny council or help of other/ Maledictus ne esto tHou oughtest not to blame ne dispraise other/ by deed/ by speaking ne by thought in what manner that it be/ because that it is a thing different and contrary to friendship and to very love which we ought to have and to bear each one to other/ For there nies so evil a thing ne that letteth more the man/ then the evil tongue Therefore none ought not to dispraise ne blame other upon pain of mortal or deadly sin/ Extimacionem retine tHou oughtest to have in thyself and to retain extymation and advisement in all thy works/ to the end that every man may suppose and say good of the without any evil to be thought upon the/ Saint Thomas saith that every prudent man ought to have extymation and advisement in all his faytes and deeds wherewith he entremeteth him/ and to buy and sell without fraud or deception/ Consultus esto tHou oughtest for to be counseled and advised of thine own deed/ and also upon the fayte of other/ That is to say/ that thou be such that thou mayst give council to thine own self/ and to the other/ where and when need shall be/ Saint Ambrose saith that every man that will council other/ ought to have three things in himself/ That is to weet sapience/ justice/ praising and true experience upon that thing on the which he will give council/ Vtere virtute tHou oughtest to use virtues and be virtuous in thyself and to have strength for to resist against all adversities/ Saint johan saith in the pocalyps who shall vanquish the world/ he that shall eat in paradise of the fruit of life/ Therefore thou ought to be faithful and virtuous unto the time of death/ and thou shalt have the crown of life eternal or without end/ Troco lude tThou oughtest to play with the top/ For the play of the top is good and utile and without filth and wrath/ For by the same play one may do his exercise/ and moder or restrain in himself all Illycite or evil cogitations or thoughts/ Aleas fuge tHou oughtest to flee and to eschew all manner of playing with the tables and dice/ For by such plays Illicitees and dyshonestees cometh homicides/ rancour and brawling/ Item also commonly by such gamynges one maketh of his friend his enemy/ Item thou must know that there been four things wherefore men ought to eschew all the playing with tables and dice and all other Illycyte and evil plays/ The first is for the great multitude of sins which ensueth and cometh thereof/ The second is for the great tribulation and melancholy that the parents and friends of hem that play/ have & take therefore/ The third is for the great folly that cometh thereof/ The fourth is for the doubt of divine vergoyne and shame by playing with dice and with tables and by other Illycyte gaming comen sixteen sins/ The first is avarice and covetise for to win/ the which sin is fundament and root of all sins and of all evil/ The second sin is for to be willing for to despoil and ravish his neighbours goods/ the which sin cometh fro the sin of rapine or theft/ Item if the player play within his house/ his parents and friends been thereof wroth and trowbled/ And if he be married and have children he is wroth with himself and with his wife and children wherefore his children been oft time disherited by such players/ and oft been cause and occasion to put their wives and daughters to great dishonour and shame/ The third sin is unmyserycorde and crudelity/ For he which playeth would fain take from his fellow both breach and shirt/ the which thing the thiefs which dyspoyle and rob the pilgrims/ done not/ The fourth sin is vsure/ for it sufficeth 'em not for to take xj for twelve/ for one year or for a month or for one day/ For they will have all at ones/ The fifth sin is blasphemy of god and of his saints/ The uj sin is losings and many other ydelful and vain talking/ The seven sin is corrumping of his parents and of them that beholden the play/ because that oftentimes they incline or bowen them to such plays by acus●●umaunce/ The viii sin is theft/ For oftentimes the players for poverty when they have lost all that they had/ they set them to rob and to steel wherefore they be hanged/ or otherwise executed by justice/ The ix sin is falsehood that they do in making and ocupyeng false dice/ The x is homicide/ For oftentimes by such plays men fall in to angry words/ and fro words in to smiting/ and fro smiting unto killing of each other/ therefore offtime ensueth thereof homicide/ The xj sin is falsehood and deception/ For he that more better can play/ more better he can deceive/ The xii sin is idolatry/ For they maken of the dice their god/ because that at the commandment of the dice they take and give their silver/ the which thing is not of the commandments of god/ The xiii sin is breaking of holidays/ For upon the greatest feasts of all the year they play and more upon holidays than upon any other days/ The xiv sin is ire/ The xv sin is leaving of good deeds which they might do while that they playen/ In player's men find twelve follies and abusions/ The first is a right great and foul servitude when they submit themself/ for to do that the dice commaunden/ The second folly is that they been ready ere for to do the commandment of the dice/ than the commandment of god/ They do not like saint martin which gave the half of his mantel/ gown shirt and breach/ and after came after his master/ because that oft-times they lean to all both mantellies and gowns/ shirts and breeches And after gone all naked after their master the devil of hell which governeth them/ The third is that after that they know the falsehood of the dice they ought rather forsake them/ then to forsake their maker/ the which doth never to them but all good/ The fourth folly is because that they put and submit them to the jurisdyction or judgement of him which doth never good ne just judgement/ For he giveth to them that which longeth not to them The fifth is because that they take greater delectation and pleasure to the dice/ than to the holy and divine things/ The syxthe is to the end that they be not ydelful they do idle things/ Therefore sa●●th saint bernard that it is greater folly for to do an idle thing for to eschew idleness/ The seventh folly is because that they suffer that their enemy steel from them one of the most precious things that they have/ that is to weet the time which they lose in playing/ The viii is because that with their own hands they lose both hem self and their goods/ whom our lord Ihesu christ with his own hands bought again on the tree of the cross/ The ix is because that while that they play they been condemned to death at the court of the sovereign judge/ The tenth is because that while they play they might do some thing that should be to them profitable and good/ and pleasant to god their creator or maker and to their friends/ and they do the contrary/ The xj is because that they do children works/ For they play with bones and with stones as done the children/ The twelfth is that they suppose not to have pleasure in that/ they do without that they have and take of it some profit/ It is red of a knight which in his playing swore by ire & anger by the eyen of our lord god/ to whom incontinent before all them that were present/ his one eye fell from his heed upon the table on the which he played/ Item it is red of an archer which for great wrath shot an arrow against the heaven in despite of our Lord god/ Because that he had lost his silver by shooting/ the which arrow came not down again unto the next morrow after/ and at such hour as it had been drawn it fell again all bloody from heaven/ It is red of saint bernard that ones/ as he was on an horse back/ a player demanded of him/ if he would play his horse against his soul/ to whom saint bernard answered that he was content/ the which player incontinent took three dice and cast xviij points/ and then he took the horse by the bridal/ and said that it was his & that he had won it/ Friend abide a little said saint bernard/ for there been in these dice some points which thou seest not/ therefore let me caste/ Saint bernard then took the dice and cast them/ and as he cast them/ one of them broke in two parts/ and at the one part of the dice broken were four points/ and on the other part were three/ and on the other two dice were xii points/ and thus saint bernard did cast nineteen points/ then when the player saw the miracle he gave to saint bernard his soul/ and to him he made all obeisance/ and after he became a monk of saint bernardes and ended his life right holily/ Come bonis ambula tThou oughtest to walk and go with good folk and flee the evil/ That is to say that thou must put thyself in the fellowship of the good and virtuous men and eschew and flee from the evil/ full of vices & sins Item it is found three manners of conversations/ the first is the good men with the good men/ the second is the good men with the evil and vicious men/ the third is the evil men with the evil men/ and the evil men with the good men/ The poet saith that the man may not forbear himself without other fellowship/ For every friend hath need of his friend/ Antequam voceris ad consilium ne accesseris tHou oughtest not to go to no council before that thou be called thereto/ For it is greater presumption & folly for to go to the council of some other before that men be called to it/ because that of adventure men will not that thou know it/ Seneque saith that it is great presumption for to entreme●●te him ne to inquire of the council of other/ when he will not that thou know it/ For he keepeth it secretly for cause of thee/ Mundus esto tHou oughtest to be pure and clean both of body and of soul/ That is to say that thou oughtest to keep thyself from vices and fro sin/ as of lechery/ avarice and of all other sins which been contrary to the body and to the soul/ Verecundiam serva tHou oughtest to have shame and vergoyne to do evil but not for to do good/ For none ought not to have shame for to do well/ Men finden three manner of folk before the which men have vergoyne and shame for to do evil/ first before them which been wise because that men byleven them lightly of that/ that they say/ be it good or evil/ Secondly before them which been devout and holy and before them among the which we converse and go daily/ because that men believen them of our fayte or deed sooner thenne the other which we know not/ Thirdly before them that can keep no thing secretly/ as jogelers'/ minstrels/ fools/ dr●●nke folk and young children/ Fourthly before them the which saw us never do none evil/ because that we should not lose the good fame or renomee that we had before of them/ For they supposen that we had been good/ Fifthely before them of the which we will be loved/ Syxthely before them which been contrary to the fayte or deed which we do/ because that they might suppose/ that the evil were greater thenne it is/ Rem tuam custodi tHou oughtest to keep thy thing/ This commandment may be expressed in three manners/ first keep thy thing/ that is to say keep thy body and thy person/ the which is made and formed to the semblance of god thy creator or maker/ Secondly keep thy thing that is to say thy soul from sin/ thirdly keep thy thing/ that is to say/ thy substance and temporal goods/ to th'end that thou dispend it not foolishly by evil sights and evil plays/ or else by lechery/ as did the son of perdition or loss which expended all his goods with common women dissolute & dishonest withouten measure/ Diligenciam adhibe tHou oughtest to take diligence and cure of thy works and in all things which of need thou must do as well in works spiritual/ as corporalle/ For to be diligent and well advised of his fayte/ men eschew many great inconvenients and deceptions as well of the body as of the soul/ that is to weet by believe/ good council/ and to keep him fro evil council/ and fro the awaits or watching of the enemies both spiritual and corporalle/ Blandus esto tHou oughtest to be courteys and benign/ For they which been sweet and courteys shall not only have the goods of this world/ but also they shall have the eternal goods of god/ as saith saint Austyn/ Saint bernard saith if the humble have the heaven/ and the benign the earth/ what shall god leave for the proud and evil soothly he ne leaveth to them other thing/ but the pain of hell and perpetual damnation/ Irasci abs re noli tHou oughtest not to be wroth of a thing uncertain that is to say that when thou art wroth of a thing uncertain and without cause lawful/ thou oughtest not therefore to judge none wrongfully in refraining thine ire For the man which is overtaken with ire may not see/ ne know neither truth ne reason/ Iracundiam tempera tHou oughtest to refrain thine ire/ Not only the ire subdayn and subytte/ but also men ought to keep 'em self from the ire which is without measure & without reason/ That is to say/ that men ought not suddenly and Inmoderately avenge himself upon his enemies to his appetite/ Neminem irriseris tHou oughtest not to mock ne scorn none other/ specially when thy will is to have company with hem but thou oughtest to force thyself for to get his grace with all thy might/ Miserum noli irridere tHou oughtest not to scorn ne mocque the pour unfortunate to whom fortune is contrary/ specially when they been in their gloire and misery/ but thou oughtest to comfort and help them after thy power/ and to give to them good hope in god/ Raro conviva tHou oughtest seld to make feasts/ eat and drink in fellowship that is to say that thou oughtest to go seld to the feasts and etynges of other/ ne to pray oft-times some other for to eat and drink with thee/ It is founden in the ancient histories/ that Alexaunder came in to a country/ where as the folk were of great abstinence/ wherefore they lived long/ To this purpoos recounteth boece de consolation/ that at the first eage of the world before the deluge or growing of waters/ the folk eat never flesh ne drank no wine/ but eat only that/ that the earth brought forth by nature without any labour or cultyving and fasted unto the even without taking any manner of substance/ & after they sowped them with a few chesteyns and with acorns/ Therefore saith boece that they were well happy because that they were more stronger than we been now at this time/ It is founden that men may have ten profits by sobyrte●● and abstinence/ The first is health of body and of soul/ The second is length of life/ The third is gladness of pleasure of life corporell and spiritual/ The fourth is that men sleep and rest the better/ The fifth is because that men have better appetite for to eat/ The uj is because that men get therefore praising and grace toward god/ The seventh is deliverance of death/ The viii is refraining of mouth/ The ix is putting from himself the wolf/ that is to weet the devil of hell/ For thus as hunger chaseth the wolf out of the wood/ thus sobrete chaseth the devil fro the man/ Pauca in convivio loquere tHou oughtest to speak little or few when thou etest or drinkest/ that is to say that thou oughtest to speak at thy dinner and sowper by measure/ and when it is need/ Seneque saith I command to the that thou speak late and seld/ Saint Ambrose saith that he which can not speak well aught to keep his peace/ Quod satis est dormi tHou oughtest to sleep by measure/ when it is need and that nature requireth it and thy complexion/ and no more/ that is to say that thou oughtest to keep thyself fro overmuch sleep/ and fro overmuch watching/ It is found in the ancient histories that macrobyus when he would fight against the assiriens/ seeing that he was over feeble/ and that the assiriens were stronger than he was/ He bethought and advised himself to have some of mande-glorye powder which causeth and maketh men for to sleep/ & after he made the said powder to be put in to all the pipes full of wine which were within his tent/ and then after that was done/ he with all his host made semblant to flee/ And thenne thassiriens came to the said siege with all their might for to have gone after macrobyus/ but before that they went after him they drank so moche of the wines of macrobyus wherein he had put the said powder/ that soon they were forced and needs they must sleep/ and slept in such wise/ that they lay as deed men on the earth/ then returned macrobyus and came and slew them at his pleasure/ for they had no might for to resist ne to do any defence/ Thus to speak morally the devil killeth and sleeth all them which he findeth a sleep in deadly sin/ because they have no puissance for to defend themself ne to resist to the devil of hell/ Meretricem fuge tHou oughtest to flee the common & foolish women and the bawds and their deceptions/ For they been more subtle than the devil/ Item thou oughtest to hold the by thy wife if thou be married/ Saint Crisostom saith that he is a fool which leaveth his good and true wife and holdeth other common women in his fellowship/ Peter alphons rehearseth in his book/ that in spain within the city of hyspalensy was a moche fair and a good bourgeys wife and well beloved of her husband/ It happened that a young clerk was enamowred of her/ and many times prayed & required her of love/ but for no thing she would never consent to it/ then when the clerk saw that he was refused he entered in to such a melancholy/ that better he seemed to ●●e deed/ then on live/ but nigh his house dwelled a maquerel or bawd which had great acquaintance with the said burgess/ And when the said bawd knew that the said clerk was in such point/ she came for to speak with him and demanded of him what he ailed and why he was in so great malencolye and comforted him and did so moche that she knew all his fayte/ And in deed the clerk made bargeyn with the said old bawd for to find the means that he might have his pleasure of the said bourgeys wife and for to fulfil his will and his entencion/ This old bawd had a little cat which she named pasquette the which she kept without any meet or drink the space of three days/ and after she gave to the cat a little flesh with right strong mustard/ and after she went for to speak with the said bourgeys wife and led with her her little cat/ but because that she had eaten the said mustard she did none other but wept ever/ And then the good wife demanded of the bawd why her cat wept and sighed so sore/ And she sighing and weeping answered/ alas my lady/ my cat which ye see and I have cause enough for to weep/ wherefore said the wife I pray you that ye will tell to me the cause/ alas said the old bawd/ my lady I dare not tell it to you Nevertheless the bourgeys wife prayed her so moche/ that she told it to her/ saying madame sith it pleaseth to you/ I shall tell it to you/ this cat which ye now see here is mine own daughter/ the which by the will and pleasure of god hath been transformed in to a cat because that a young man loved her/ but never for no thing she would not accord for to do his pleasure and will/ wherefore the gods were wroth and turned her in to a cat as ye may see/ And therefore she weepeth thus continually/ & when she weepeth I can not hold me but that I must weep/ How said the bourgeys wife ye say wonder/ is it truth that ye say/ the which swore that it was very truth alas/ said the bourgeys wife which believed lightly/ knowest thou not such a young clerk/ Yes my lady I know him full well/ Certainly said the bourgeys wife he hath prayed me of love/ and hath offered to me many great yefts/ but never for no thing I ne would consent ne grant his pleasure/ wherefore as I suppose he is in great thought and malencolye/ and therefore if it were sooth that thou sayest/ I should be turned in to a cat as thy daughter is/ if the gods been wroth with me/ Certainly said the bawd if ye hold thus long the said clerk in that pain and languor/ ye are in great apparel for to be transformed from your fair form/ in to the likeness and form of a cat and ye shall therefore weep all the time of your life/ Wherefore my dear lady I council you/ or the gods be wroth upon you/ that ye do after the will of the said clerk/ For if ye were turned in to a lityl cat ye should be dishonoured & ye should be cause of the shame and dishonour perpetual of all your lineage/ Thus the said bourgeys wife which doubted the furor and wrath of the gods and the shame & dishonour both of herself and of her parents/ believing the words of the foresaid old bawd/ consented within her heart to do the will and pleasure of the said clerk/ And then with great sygheng and malencolyes/ for doubt that wor●● should come to her/ said to the said old woman that she would go toward the said clerk and that she should tell to him that ●●e would come for to speak with her/ and that of her he should have his pleasure/ then was the old bawd joyful and glad/ and after went to the said clerk & said to him that he should make good cheer/ and that incontinent he should go toward the bourgeys wife/ & that of her he should have all that should please to him/ The which clerk went incontinent thither and paid the bawd as he had promised to her/ And thus he had his will of the said bourgeys wife/ Vino te tempera tHou oughtest to be temperate in drinking wine/ that is to say that men ought to drink as much as it sufficeth to nature/ and no more/ Aristotel saith in his secrets which he sent to alixaunder/ that many evils sourden and come by overmuch drinking of wine/ The first evil 〈◊〉 because that it troubleth both the wit & the memory/ The second is for it empessheth the wit of nature The third is because that it troubleth the brain/ The fourth is because that it debyliteth and maketh feeble the virtues of the man/ The fifth is because that it causeth for to forget that/ that men have for to do/ The uj because that he causeth evil appetite/ The seventh because that it maketh the members to shake/ The viii because that it chaseth all the body and engendereth heat in to the liver/ and causeth evil blood and generally it maketh feeble all the virtues both of the body and of the soul/ Men read of an hermit which oftentimes was tempted for to leave his hermitage and return in to the world/ to whom an angel of god appeared and said to him if he would return in to the world that he might not scape but that among all the other evil sins which been done in the same world there were three of the which he should do one/ that is to weet avarice lechery and drunkenness/ and that he should cheese which of them three he would do/ then the hermit answered and said sith that it is force that I fall in one of thoos three sins/ I cheese drunkenness/ and not Avarice because that avarice is cause and the root of all sins/ Ne lechery because that it destroyeth all the body of the man/ And thus the myschaunte returned in to the world the which drunk on a day so moche of wine that he was drunk/ & forthwith tempted he was of lechery the which sin he made in deed/ and after he became avaricious/ and in deed he set himself for to steel/ and thus he made all the said three deadly sins/ & this came of drunkenness only/ Nil arbitrio feceris tHou oughtest not to do no thing of thine own arbiter/ that is to weet without council of some more wise than thyself/ And thou ne oughtest not to trust thine own council ne by strength corporell and spyrituel ne also thy wisdom and conving/ but thou oughtest to take and require the council of other/ and of the sages and show unto them the thing which thou purposest for to do/ For many to guider seen more clearly and known more then doth one allonelye/ patienter parents vince tHOu oughtest to overcome and vanquish thy parent's/ by fair and sweet words without making force or to be rebel against hem/ because that it is o●●e of the pryncypal commandments of our law/ that men ought to obey his father and mother/ Patere legem quam tu ipse feceris tHou oughtest to keep the law which thou hast ordained and made/ That is to say that all though which made the laws & that maketh 'em day by day ought to keep them and to command the other for to keep them/ Valere recounteth in his sixth book/ of a man which made an edycte that who somever were taken in adultery he should l●●se both his eyen/ It happened that the son of him that had made this edict was taken in to adultery/ wherefore his father commanded that his two eyen should be taken out of his heed/ but the bourgeys and the lords of the city prayed for him/ then that he should have grace/ but his father for no thing would not consent to it/ For he would make equity and justice & keep the law which he had ordained but for to please the lords and all the people he ordained that he himself should lose one eye/ and his son another eye/ to ●●hende that his son should not lose all his sight/ and also that the law should be kept and justice observed/ Noli concupissere alienum THou oughtest not to be covetise of some others goods/ For it is against one of the commandments of our law/ Tulle saith that none ought not to dame the richesses to be his own ne for himself only/ But all way the richesses been and aught for to be principally for the common weal and profit of everichone/ Illud stude agere quod bonum est THou oughtest to study for to do that/ that is good and needful utile and profitable to the body and to the soul/ Saint Ysodore saith/ that for to do an evil/ men loseth many goods/ For by one sin/ many justices been subverted and lost/ Likewise by one evil been many goods subverted and lost/ Therefore oughtest thou to put pain and diligence for to do ever well/ We readen of a king which had three sons/ which king at the end of his days made his testament in this manner and form/ that is to weet/ that the most sloutheful of his three sons should be his heir/ then each of them/ to the end that they might come to the herytege beforesaid/ said that he was most slothful/ The first said 〈◊〉 was so slothful/ that if he were set so nigh to the fire that his legs should burn/ yet he would not rise/ The second said that he was so slothful/ that if he had the cord about his neck for to be hanged/ and in his hand a good knife well sharp/ he would not cut the cord/ The third said that if he were in a good bed/ and that the rain fell continually upon his two eyen/ he would not rise ne move him neither to the life ne to the right side therefore/ & to this last gave the king his heritage & judged & held him for the most slothful of his three sons/ To speak morally who this king is/ It is to understonden the devil of hell/ the which is king and prince of all slothful folk/ By the first son been understonden them which been in evil and wicked company/ the which have liefer for to be brent of the fire of sin/ that they lain in/ than for to leave their evil fellowship/ By the second are understonden them that been in deadly sin/ For how be it that they been bound by the neck with the strenges or cords of the devil/ that is to weet with sins/ and condemned to d●●th and to be hanged on the gallows of hell/ Nevertheless they been so slothful and negligent/ that they will not cut the cord with their knife which is sharp enough/ that is to weet with their tongue by very and pure confession/ By the third are understonden/ them which daily here speak of the pains of hell and of purgatory/ and of the joy of paradise and of all vices and sins and of confession/ and how men ought to shriven 'em self/ But all ways they been so wonder negligent/ that they can not confess themself ne have and put them out of sin which is at the lift side/ for to eschew the pains of hell/ Ne for to go to the right side/ that is by very contrition and repentance/ for to get the glory of paradise/ Libenter ferto amore THou oughtest to bear and have love to every man That is to say that thou oughtest to govern thyself in such manner with all manner of persons with whom thou conversest/ that thou mayst have their grace and love And also thou must keep thyself to do any thing contrary to friendship/ by the which thou mightest l●●se their l●●ue & be Indaygned of them/ ¶ Si deus est animus nobis ut carmina dicunt/ Hic tibi praecipue sit pura mente colendus/ THe first commandment of the first party metrycall is/ that thou oughtest to worship & believe one only god in essence/ the which hath might & pre-eminence upon all things visible and unvisible/ and he is end and beginning of all things/ As sayeth Solomon/ He governeth all things by weight and by ●●sure/ and by his divine and excellent grace he is cause that we been formed and created to his semblance and figure/ For if he were not/ and if he governed us not all nature and kind should return to nought/ as of nought it was made/ And for to believe this/ reason teacheth us the songs and dities of the saints and of the holy apostles and prophets/ As it appeareth clearly in the three credes the which our mother holy church singeth/ that is to weet in the crede of the apostles/ and in the creed which is sungen at the mass/ and in the creed which is contained in the psalm of Quicunque vult saluus esse etc/ Wherefore now without any more tarrying every one ought to worship and adore him in very and steadfast faith and believe without any fy●●cions or corrumptions/ by pure devout and clean thought because that he is above all other creatures one only god eternal end and beginning of all thing/ In that time that the wise Platon lived reigned a great pestilence so horrible that the folk died suddenly/ Thenne when Platon saw that there reigned such a cruel ●●estylence/ he did so moche by his subtlety and science that he knew the cause whereof came this pestilence and mortalytee the which did do make a great glass/ and after he made it to be borne upon an high mountain/ and looked well oft in to the said glass in such manner that he knew and perceived the cause of the said pestilence/ For he saw a great multitude of people which leapt out of the city which died and fell suddenly to th'earth deed/ Yet again he looked in to the glass and saw in two great valleys/ which were on both sides of the mounteyn a great multitude of dragons upon the roches of the said valleys/ which beholden each other and whystled and blowed much wonderly/ And thus Platon perceived and knew clearly that the pestilence came by the whistling and soufflement of the said dragons which corrumped the air/ wherefore the people ●●yed suddenly/ To the which thing the said Platon found a remedy/ for he did do make great fires in the said valleys in such manner that the said dragons or serpents were constrained to leap within the fire and bren themself/ And thus was the city kept and preserved of the pestilence/ To speak now morally in the time of platon/ that is to weet that time in the which reigned saint Peter and the other apostles appeared to holy church one so great a multitude of dragons that is to weet/ of heretics and misbelievers/ the which by their soufflemens' or blowynges & false doctrines which they preached against the evangeles and against the faith which Ihesu christ had yeven and left unto us/ and specially against the articles of the faith/ and sown many errors for to have brought the people of christ unto misbelieve/ But the very and true platon saint Peter and the other apostles came/ which have yeven to us a moche fair glass within the which been put and seen all the articles of our faith/ And in it we ought to look oft times and believe steadfastly upon pain to be brent within the fire and valley of hell/ As were the dragons by the which articles been confounded and destroyed the errors of the ancient heresies/ Plus vigila semper ne sompno deditus esto Nam diuturna quies vicijs alimenta ministrat THou oughtest to watch in good works and flee slothfulness/ which is mother and nourice of all sins/ For by overlong rest and ociosyte been gendered or gotten principally three great sins/ that is to weet avarice lechery and overmuch talking/ We readen in one history of grece/ of a man which found another man all naked within a desert or wood/ the which man fled assoon as he saw him come/ But he ran so long after him that at the last he overtook him/ And then when that this naked man saw that he might no more flee/ he abode still/ and the other demanded of him why he did run so long before him/ The which answered to him/ that in his land was a king which had a tour full of gold and silver the which tour the king made to be kept marvelously/ For it was dedicted in such manner/ that as long as he that kept it watched that none might not enter in to it for to rob the said treasure/ but as soon as he slept every man might enter in to it and rob what he would/ But for to eschew the ●●ungers and parelliss of the said tour to the end that he might not lose his treasure/ he gave every night to him that would watch it a precious stone which had such property & virtue that who sommever had it in his hand he might not sleep But assoon as the stone fell from his hand/ he forthwith began to sleep/ then the said king did do make a cry upon pain to lose the heed/ that he which should keep his tour/ should not let fall from his hand the said stone/ to the end that he should not sleep and that he should not lose his treasure/ then happened that on a night I was committed for to keep the said treasure and for to watch within the said tour/ but I let fall the said stone out of mine hand/ and incontinent I began toslepe/ and while that I slept the treasure of the said king was rob/ Wherefore fearing the punition and sentence of the said king I am fled and come in to this desert as thou seest/ To speak morally by the same king is understonden god the father/ which is king of kings and lord of all lords/ By the tour and treasure thou oughtest to understand the human man in to the which god hath put a moche great treasure of all gra●●s and virtues/ By him that kept and watched the sa●●d tour is to be understonden the reason and wit of the man/ For while that reason watcheth in the man/ It is impossible that the vices and sins enter within the tour/ that is to weet in to the man/ but assoon as reason sleepeth and wit faileth/ the vices and sins entren in to the tour/ That is to weet within the man and robben and putten to nought the treasure of the king that is to weet the virtues of the man/ Therefore he is put and condemned to be in the desert unto the time that he shall have made satisfaction/ And therefore it appeareth clearly that every man ought to watch in good works/ By the precious stone is understonden Ihesu christ/ which keepeth us fro sleep of sin when we have in our memory his blessed passion Virtutem primam esse puto compescere linguam Proximus ille deo qui sit racione tacere THou oughtest to be still and speak by reason and measure in time and place covenable/ For he which can keep his peace and speak by reason and measure/ is byloved of god/ because that it is the first and principal virtue that the man may have for the great evil which followen thereof/ As the noises and dissensions/ which been moved among the folk of what somever estate or condition that they be of/ Solomon saith that who can keep his peace & speak as time and place requireth/ he is right wise and next friend unto god/ It is red that the devil by the space of thirty year and more had assayed himself for to have put discord and noise between a merchant of cloth and his wife/ the which both were of right good living and loved well each other/ the which devil might not find the manner for to put and bring them to dissension and dyfferente/ then the devil put himself in to the likeness of a young man/ and after he went on a way where as he well wist/ passed by oft a bawd/ and set him down under a tree much thoughtful/ tryste and woeful by semblance/ and held in his hand a purse full of silver/ And after as the said bawd passed by the said way/ she found the same young man sitting on the way/ the which demanded of him whom he abode there and why that he was so thoughtful & in so morning cheer/ The young man answered that he should give her the purse full of silver which he held in his hand/ if she would swear and promit to him to do that/ that he should tell to her the which swore and promytted to him that she should do all that he should command to her/ then said to her the young man/ I doubt said he much to be punished in hell because that I have been thirty year & more for to have put discord and strife betwixt such a draper and his wife/ And therefore I give to the freely this purse if thou canst put dissension between them/ then this bawd took the purse and go incontinent for to speak to the wife of the said draper and said thus to her/ alas lady I have great ruth and compassion on you/ For your husband ●●s at mine house and by his wickedness hath done so moche that he hath had the company of a young woman which dwelleth with me & hath promised to her for to give her a go●●ne cloth of the best and finest that is within his house/ Ha said the good burgess I should not con believe it for I have ever found him good and faithful/ Certainly said the old bawd I have founden them in the deed doing/ And to morrow ye shall see the experience of it when she shall come fetch the cloth/ And after the said bawd went and spoke with the husband of the said burgess and told him that she had found his wife within the church speaking with a clerk/ And that she understood of them that his wife would rob him/ and go both to guider out of the land Ha said the husband I can not believe it/ For well I wot that my wife is true and faithful unto me/ Certainly said she I ensure you that it is truth/ & in short time ye shall see them both speaking to guider/ then went the old woman unto his house and scent the young woman which dwelled in her house/ for to buy cloth of the said draper/ And when the drapers wife saw her/ she thought and believed that/ that the old woman had told unto her was true/ wherefore she took so great malencolye that she could not sowpe for woe/ Whereof her husband was much abashed For as thenne he had suspicion on her of that/ that the bawd had told him/ which on that other side began for to make evil cheer also/ And on the morn next the old woman did so moche that the young clerk spoke with the said bourgeys wife seeing her husband which supposeth to be troth that the old woman had told to him/ And yet again the old bawd go for to speak with the bourgeys wife and said to her mistress be you now certain of that/ that I told you certainly ye be lost without ye put to it remedy/ alas said the bourgeyse what remedy might I put thereto/ I shall tell it to you said the old thoman/ do so moche that this night ye have a rasere/ and when he shall be laid in his bed and that he shall sleep ye shall kutte three hairs of his beard & ye shall burn them/ and after ye shall make him to eat them For after that he hath eaten them/ he shall never torn again toward the said young woman/ but shall hate her unto death and yet he shall love you better then he did before/ Certainly said the burgess ye say right well/ and I shall do as ye have said/ And after this the old woman go for to speak again to her husband/ to whom she said that his wife would that same night go with the said clerk/ & that she would cut his throat by night when he should sleep and how his wife had a razor for to cut his throat therewith and how she should make him drunk/ then as they had sowped the draper held the countenance of a drunken man and feigned himself drunk & said that he would go sleep and assoon as he was laid he made semblant to sleep/ And then his wife went and took the razor for to have cut three hairs of his beard as the old woman had told to h●●r/ but he which slept not took her by the hand upon the which she held the razor/ then called he his servants and showed to them evidently how his wife would kill and put him to death/ And the next morn he maunded & sent for her parent's friends and neighbours/ and after said to them all the manner how she would have cut his throat/ the which wife as overcomen and vanquished could not say one word/ for she might not say the contrary/ But there was a good true man a chappelayn which did lead her aside ●●th required to her that she would tell to him all the pure truth of it/ And the woman rehearsed and told unto him word by word how the old woman had counseled her for to do all that which ye have heard/ And after he called the draper which also told to him all his fayte/ Thenne was the old woman sent fore/ which was pained and constrained to say all the certainty and the truth of all the fayte/ And after when they knew the great treason of the old bawd they were friends and loved each other more than they did before/ By this ensample appeareth clearly that many evils comen by wicked and evil tongues/ and by evil reports Sperne repugnando tibi tu contrarius esse Conueniet nulli qui secum defidet ipse THou oughtest not to change thy council when it is good and utile/ Ne to be contrary to thyself/ For he which is contrary to himself shall not accord with none other/ And therefore thou oughtest to be steadfast and constant within thyself wythouten mutation contrary to reason and truth/ It is red in an history of Rome/ that an emperor of rome which was much ancient or old/ married him to a moche fair queen/ the which knew her own cook in such manner that she had by him a child male/ And the emperor weening that it had been his son/ when the child was of age he betook him to a phylosophre/ But soon after the emperor died/ then the said phylosophre considering that he was old and nigh to his death/ Also because that he knew the conditions of the said child and young emperor/ and who was his father/ rehearsed unto the said child his birth and who had begotten him saying in this manner/ know thou that thou art noble by thy mothers side/ and not by thy faders side/ For thou art son of the cook of the Emperor/ And because that thou art of right noble blood by thy mothers side thou takest on the and enchaunsest thyself for to do high and excellent prowesses and deeds whereof thou becomest and wexest proud/ and thou dyspreysest the duke's/ earls & barons of thy court wherefore they desire more thy death then thy life/ Item on the other party/ because that thou art of villain blood by thy faders side/ thou settest thyself to dishonest plays and 〈◊〉 many vices/ wherefore thou art dispraised by the princes & barons/ and thus as much of one party as of the other thou might well lose thine empire/ But to th'end that thou mayst eschew the said vices and inconvenients/ I shall give to the a good doctrine/ For from hen's forthon thou shalt do make to the a gown of two manner of cloth/ whereof the one part shall be of right fine cloth/ & the other part of right course cloth/ to the end that when thou shalt be tempted for to do some thing dishonest and fowl/ thou look on the half of thy gown which is of so fine cloth/ that is to weet that thou shalt consider how thou art of noble blood by thy mothers side/ And thus thou shalt chastise the by thine own self/ Semblably when thou wilt do high and excellent faytes or deeds/ look on the other part of thy gown which is of course and foul cloth/ that is to weet that thou must consider and think how thou art right foul by thy faders side/ and thus thou shalt keep thyself fro pride/ and thou shalt be ever unied within thyself/ Ne thou shalt never do no thing contrary to thyself/ Si vitam inspicias hominum si denique mores Cum culpas alios nemo sine crimine vivit THou oughtest not for to judge/ to blame ne to dispraise other/ For when thou blamest and dyspreysest the other/ thou oughtest to think and consider/ that none liveth without blame/ Wherefore thou must be first with out sin/ and virtuous/ than for to will make the other to be virtuous and without sins/ We reden in vitis patrum that saint moyses the hermit was chosen for to judge his brother/ which was guilty/ and in sin/ the which hermit took a sack full of gravel or sand/ & bore it upon his back And when he was demanded why he bore the said sack and what was therein/ he answered that it were his sins the which men may not see/ And yet this day said he I am chosen for to judge the sins of the other/ Que noscitura tenes quamuis sint cara relinque Vtilitas opibus preponi tempore debent THou oughtest to leave all thing which been contrary to thee/ how be it that they been dear/ precious and delectable/ For the utility/ that is to weet worship & good renomee as well of the body as of the soul and life spiritual aught for to be preferred before all the richesses & all worldly pleasures which been transitory and soon passed/ If thine eye slander or shame thyself put it fro thee/ For better is for to lose one eye/ than the hole body/ We see by experience/ that when a dog beareth a piece of flesh/ in his mouth/ when he seeth the shadow of the flesh that he beareth and weeneth to take the shadow of the said piece which is greater than the piece/ he is beguiled for he findeth no thing/ In like wise many one leave for to serve god/ for to serve the vanities and pleasures of this World/ Which been but shadow to the regard of the glory of paradise/ therefore we ought to leave them/ for they are to us chargeable and grievous/ how be it/ that they been holden dear and moche delectables/ Constans et levis ut res expostulat esto Temporibus mores sapiens sine crimine mutat THou oughtest to be constant and steadfast as much as the thing requireth in time & in place/ as Well in prosperity as in adversity/ For the sage may and can change himself without any blame ne sin in time and in place/ For sometime of need he must be sweet and peaceable and sometime sharp and rigorous/ The constant & steadfast man getteth moche of temp●●rall goods and of virtues And by the contrary the man unpleasant dyspendeth much goods and falleth in to many vices and sins/ The sage saith that diverse conditions been answering to many one in diverse placies/ and saith that there is one time for to speak and one time for to hold his peace/ time to be borne/ & time to be nourished/ time for to laugh/ and time for to weep/ Time for to set trees and herbs/ and time for to sow & harvest/ Time for to spare and time for to dispend/ Time of war/ and time of peace/ But in all times thou oughtest to be steadfast and constant and not flitting/ Cumque mones aliquem nec se velit ipse moneri Si tibi sit carus noli desistere ceptis THou oughtest to resist and admonest thy friend by sweet words and all other persons/ and when they will not chastise them by thy words/ thou oughtest ever to persevere in giving to them more and more good admonestement without sessing/ specially when they be thy dear friends/ Contra verbosos noli contendere verbis Sermo datur cunctis animi sapiencia paucis THou oughtest not to strive ne take noise with them that been full of superfluous words/ and Injurious For the speech is given to every person/ but the science and cunning for to refrain and moder his courage & his ire is given to few folk/ first none aught to take strife with the noble man & puissant/ because that sometime thou mightest fall in to his danger/ Secondly with the rich man/ because that thorough the mean of his gold & silver he might find the manner for to let and grieve thee/ Thirdly with him which is full of superfluous & Injurious words/ because that thou mayst have thereof no worship all be it that thou had good cause and true/ And also against him which gladly taketh strife and noise with every man and without reason/ for by little words men comen oft unto great words of the which sourden oft great inconvenients It is red in vitas Patrum/ that an holy man named macarye to whom was revealed and told by divine will that there were within a city which was nigh his dwelling two women and two brethren/ the which had never noise ne never strife to guider/ neither in word ne in deed nor in thought/ To the which he go for to see/ as it was commanded to him in gods behalue/ But as soon as the good women saw this holy hermit/ they began to cry with an high voice saying/ Ha sir would to god that it were the pleasure of our husbands that we might enter in to religion/ For this world is not pleasant to us because of the noises and strives which been made in it fro day to day/ then the holy father comforted them and said that they should persevere still as they were accustomed in good love and dilection 〈◊〉 long ●●s it should please to god and to their husband Dilige sic alios ut sis tibi carus amicus Sic bonus esto bonis ne te mala dampna sequantur THou oughtest to love every person/ and fyr●●●●yn own self/ For thou oughtest in such man●● 〈◊〉 good toward every man/ that none evil or 〈◊〉 m●●y come thereof to thee/ for the charity aught to begin at thyself/ Therefore saith saint Austyn/ that men ought to set and put order in charity and in love/ first men ought to love god for he is lord over us/ Secondly our soul and thought because that they been among us Thirdly our neighbours & friends and the angels because that they been besides us/ Also men ought to love the things outward which are without/ because that they been by us of the which we live corporally/ The first token is for him which loveth thee/ heareth g●●adly to speak of thee/ The second for he speaketh oft and gladly of thee/ The third for he thinketh oft-times on the without to be weary of it/ The fourth for he layeth his body and his good in to danger to thy need The fifth for he keepeth me from damage/ The uj for he presseth the harm and offence that men have done to thee/ The seventh for he hath joy of thy prosperity and good fortune/ The viii because that he hath joy to see the and thy presence/ The ix for he taketh displeasure for thine absence/ The x for he loveth that that thou lovest/ & hateth that which thou hatest/ The xj for he paineth himself for to do to the some pleasure/ The xii for he doubteth to do to the any displeasure The xiii for he taketh pain on him for to bring the other unto thy love/ The xiv for he keepeth dearly that/ that thou givest to him/ The xv for he doth that/ that thou counceyllest to him/ The xuj for he trustily demandeth to the council upon his deeds/ Rumores fuge ne incipias novus auctor haberi Nam nulli tacuisse nocet/ nocet esse loqutum THou oughtest not to entremete thyself/ forto rehearse tidings and losings to the end that men say not that thou art an author and maker of losings and of new tidings/ For few words let but few oft/ but overmany words let full oft/ Therefore men must be still in peace/ and speak When need is/ for over many words may not be without vices and sins/ Item the sage saith that overmuch speech is contrary to nature/ because that nature hath ordained to us one mouth and two ears in betokening that we ought to here twice as much as we speak/ For every man ought to be light to hearing/ and slow to speak/ Therefore said Socrates to a man that spoke overmuch/ here me said he thou that hast but one mouth & two ears by nature/ oughtest to here twice so much/ as that thou speakest/ Rem tibi promissam certam promittere noli Ram fides ideo quia multi multa loquntur THou oughtest not to promit to none other/ that thing which is promised to thee/ to be sure and certain which by adventure is uncertain/ and therefore men ought not to believe ne adiouste faith to the saying of many one/ For many one say oft-times the contrary of that/ that they will do/ Thus as thou shouldest promit to some other to give to him ten flocyns/ the which are promised to the for certain/ thou might be founden a liar/ for he which promised them to the for certain/ by adventure he shall not do it/ And therefore thou oughtest not to promise ne to assign some other upon that/ that thou hast not yet in deed/ For he which lightly promytteth/ is oft holden and founden for a liar/ Men say commonly that he is a fool that promytteth for to give the ele which he holdeth only/ but by the tail which may lightly escape fro him/ Cum te quis laudat judex tuus esse memento Plus alijs de te quam tu tibi credere noli THou oughtest to be judge of the praising which men 〈…〉 gives to thee/ For thou oughtest m●●re to believe thyself that knoweth the truth/ than to believe foolishly that/ that other men saye●● of thee/ as do●●e these flatterers which will Impetre and have grace toward some other by flattery/ After that it is found in droyt canon/ there is four manners of praisings/ first when men attribueth to thee/ the good which thou hast not/ Secondly when men enhanceth overmuch the good which thou hast not/ Thirdly when men reproveth the evil which thou hast & that is known in thee/ And also when some other lieth wilfully for to please thee/ Item for four things thou oughtest not to believe these flatterers/ The first is because that they be like to hunters and to them that take birds which will take them with their grins and sweet words/ The second because that they been like to the mermaid which causeth the mariners for to sleep/ and after maketh them to be perished/ thus done the flatterers by their sweet words/ and after make the for to fall in to many vices and sins/ The third for they been like to the scorpion and to the honey fly/ the which enoynten before and prycken hard behind/ The fourth because that they been like rubbers which rubken the wild oxen for to take them/ For they rubben and claw their heeds/ to the end that they may take and lead them to their death/ wherefore thou oughtest to i'll all such deceptions which are founded on sweet words deceivable/ Officium alterius/ multis narrare memento Atque alijs cum tu benefeceris/ ipse sileto THou oughtest to rehearse and tell unto many one the faytes and deeds of other/ that is to wete the benefits that the other have done to thee/ to th'end that thou be not reputed and holden unkind/ Of the good offices and benefices which men have done and given to thee/ But when thou shalt do to some other some good/ thou oughtest to hold thy peace thereof/ and to do them so secretly that thy life hand may not know that/ that thy right hand doth/ That is to say that thou oughtest for to do it wythouten any hypocrisy and vainglory/ because that the hypocrites given more for to have praising of the world/ than for the love of god/ Saint Austyn saith that every creature ought to praise god and to render and yield him graces & thanks of all the goods and benefits that he doth & hath done to him/ And this is approved by the four Elements first saith the earth praiseth god/ or else I shall swallow the within me/ as I did dathan and abyron/ The water saith/ praise god or else I shall drown the within me with the delicious folk full of vainglory/ as I did at the deluge of waters/ The fire saith praise god or else I shall burn the with them of sodom/ The eyer saith praise god/ or else I shall overblow the with the jews/ that is to weet if thou render not graces and thanks unto god of all his benefits/ Multorum cum facta senex et dicta ●●ecences Fac tibi succurrant juvenis quia feceris ipse tHou oughtest to take ensample to the faytes and sayings of ancient/ which have been virtuous & of good & honest life/ to th'end that th●●u be virtuous as they have been/ for thou oughtest to govern thyself so wisely in ●●hy youth/ that thou mayst have succour & help in thine old age/ for the fair deeds/ provesses' & virtues which thou shalt have done in thy youth/ to th'end that thou have thereof praising & profit both of god & of the world/ & also to thend●● that thou be ensample to them that shall come after thee/ We have an ensample of a prophet named eleazare which loved better to die/ than for to do or consent to do against the law/ to th'end that every man should take ensample to his great constance & steadfastness after his death/ because that he died for to hold & sustain the law & truth/ and said that none ought to glorify himself of oldness of age without that he have oldness of sapience and of virtue/ Ne cures si quis tacito sermone loquatur Concius ipse sibi de se putat omnia dici tHou oughtest not to ca●●e if thou see some folk speaking secretly to guider/ that is to weet when ●●hou art pure & clean without vice & without blame/ because that he which is guilty & full of vices & of sins weeneth that all that men say in secret/ is of his fayte or deed/ because that he is ever in doubt & in remoxes of conscience/ Saint Luc recounteth in his viii chapter of a jew which said & supposed in himself/ when mary magdalene washed the feet of christ with her teris/ & wiped them with her hairs/ and thought if such a man had been an holy prophet and an holy man/ he had not suffered that a sinner had touched him wherefore he had suspicion in his heart that Ihesu christ was a false prophet and an untrue/ And for this cause we ought not to have suspicion upon other for so moche that they speak secretly to guider or do some other thing secret/ when we know nor understand not the cause why/ for rather we ought to think & suppose well than evil/ for the doubtous thing ought to be interpreted to the better party/ & suppose rather & sooner well then evil/ Come fueris felix que sunt adversa caveto Non eodem cursu respondet ultima primis tHou oughtest to doubt & flee fortune/ how be it that thou be rich & mighty of goods both temporal & spiritual/ for in time of abundance men have memory & mind of poverty/ but always thou must keep thyself for to get ne withhold unjustly the richesses evil gotten/ For moche oft the last things been not like to the first/ The wheel of fortune waxeth & waneth as doth the moan/ For never it holdeth not in one point/ for incontinent it changeth fro prosperity in to adversity/ Therefore it is said that the last thing resembleth not by one like course to the first things/ For fortune holdeth her never in one point/ Therefore saith Boece of consolation/ that he which falleth is not steadfast/ that is to say/ that he which cometh fro prosperity in to adversity is not well happy/ Cum dubia & fragilis sit nobis vita tributa In mortem alterius spem tu tibi ponere noli tHou oughtest not to have hope in the death of other for to have his good after his death/ because that our life is freall/ doubtous and right uncertain/ For assoon dieth young as old/ For men find at the market house more skins of calves/ than of kine/ When the king alisaunder had won the battle against the king of pierce/ he returned to his palace ryal in babylonye/ & as soon as he was set at table/ a wild bird entered within the hall/ which flew many times about the hall & after set & rested him on the table before the Emperor/ and there the bird laid an egg and after it flew out of the hall in to the fields/ Of the which egg issued incontinent a little worm which went round about the egg for to have entered again in to it/ but he could never find the hole where thorough it was issued/ wherefore he died/ when the king alyxaunder saw this/ he was moche abashed/ & as dreaming thought all the night on it/ & supposed that it had been some token of treason/ And yet on that same night a woman of the city was delivered of a child half man and half be'st/ the which half human was deed/ and the other half be'st was on live/ the which child was brought unto Alyxaunder for to see/ Whereof he was more abashed/ than he had been before of the bird/ thenne he made all his astrologiens to be gathered & assembled to guider for to know & judge what the said thing betokened/ The which were all of one opinion that these wonders & marvels betoken his death/ then one of them spoke for all before Alyxaunder/ and said that the egg which is round betokened the world/ and that the little worm betokened alexander/ For as the little worm might not return to the h●●le of the egg where thorough he came out of/ Right so alixaunder which had won & subdued all the world all about/ should never return in to Grece out of which land he was issued/ and told and concluded before him/ that the gods had ordained that he should die/ And the foresaid astrologyens said the child which is half deed & half on live/ half man & half be'st betokeneth that now thou art but half man/ for thou art nigh to thy death/ And thy successors shall be like to living beasts/ to the regard of the and of thy provesses which thou hast done/ then when alyxaunder heard these tidings he lift up his eyen toward heaven/ and began to cry with an high voice/ O my great and sovereign god jupiter I see now well that this world giveth little guerdon & reward/ alas I wend to have lived so long in this world thai I might have accomplished all my will/ & now I must die/ I know clearly that none ought not to trust to long life in this world as I have done/ nor having hope on the death of other/ as I have had hitherto/ Exiguum munus/ cum det tibi pauper amicus Accipito placide plene/ et laudare memento tHou oughtest to take with thank the little gift of thy friend/ For how be it that it is little/ thou must take it gladly/ and it aught to be to the more agreeable & more pleasant/ than if a rich man had given it to the Therefore when men given to thee/ thou oughtest not to have regard unto the yeft if it be little or great/ but thou oughtest to have reward to the will & affection of him that giveth it to thee/ & aught to take it with good heart & to remercye & thank plainly/ for all be it never so little/ if thou shouldest refuse it/ thou shouldest do to him that giveth it shame & vergoyne/ Q vintilianus rehearseth of a pour man and of a rich man that hadden two gardyns which gardyns were joining to guider/ The pour man had in his garden many honey flees or bees/ and the rich had in his garden many fair flowers/ the which rich man made to tell to the pour man/ that he was evil apaid of his bees which came in to his garden to take the honey upon his flowers/ and the pour man made thereof no great care/ but let his flees go as they were accustomed/ then when the rich man saw that he cared not/ he went and cast venom upon his flowers in such manner/ that when the bees set them upon the said flowers they were all poys●●ned and in apparel of death/ But the pour man which was a good medicine/ put some remedy to it/ and because that he wist well that the oil & the wine were contrary to venom/ he took two little vessels which he had all only and no more/ and filled that one with oil & the other with vinegar/ the vinegar he cast upon the flees/ & with the oil he anointed them/ Morally to speak/ by this pour man which loved well dearly his bees or flees/ thou ougtest to understand Ihesu christ/ And by the rich man the devil of hell/ And by the flees the men and women of this world/ For when the devil had poisoned the men of this world by vices and sins and that they were condemned to the death/ Because that they had gathered and taken the honey from over the flowers/ that is to weet in carnalitees and in many vices delectables and sweet to the person/ as is the honey/ then Ihu Crist the sovereign medicine/ took two little vessels of oil and of vanaygre which he had only/ that is to weet that by his sorrowful and aygre or sour and bitter passion/ bought and raised us fro death unto life again/ and after he anointed us of the oil/ that is to weet of the grace of the holy ghost certain every person may say/ that it was a moche precious yefte which our redemptor gave to us/ when he did cast and shed his precious blood upon his flees/ that is 〈◊〉 weet upon the synnars/ in buying them again from bitter death and anointed them after of the oil of misericord/ Infantem nudum cum te natura creavit Paupertatis onus patienter far memento tHou oughtest to suffer and bear patiently the faytes & charges of poverty/ because that nature hath created the pourely & all naked out of thy mothers womb/ for when thou came in to this world thou hadst nought/ & w●●n thou shalt go & leave it/ thou shalt bear with the no thing Therefore saith Boece that we be borne all naked within the womb of our moders/ & yet shall we return all naked in to the womb of our mother/ that is in to the earth/ Therefore oughtest thou to bear the faytes of poverty patiently/ the child new borne & coming out of his mothers womb maketh th●●e things/ first he weepeth/ And thenne he prophesieth the evils which he shall suffer in this world/ as long as he shall be on live/ Secondly he putteth his face toward th'earth/ as a be'st in sign or token that he is compared to the dumb beasts/ Thirdly for he holdeth the hand in his mouth in tokening that because of the first sin of our first parents/ he aught to suffer many pains in this world/ which sin they commised or made by their mouth in eting the fruit which was defended & foreboden/ Saint austin recounteth in his book de civitate/ that sometime a man desired and had three goddesses to dyner/ that is to weet juno goddess of mirth & of might Pallas goddess of sapience and of wisdom/ And venus' goddess of love and of benevolence/ but because that he bade not boden the goddess of discord/ she was therefore greatly wroth/ the which took an apple of gold/ about the which was written/ To the fairest be it given/ And after cast it in the middle of the said goddesses/ and as soon as they saw the apple each of them would have had it/ but for to eschew their strife and debate they ordained a judge/ that is to weet Paris for to adiuge and give it to the most fairest/ the which judged & gave it to the goddess of love and benevolence/ as to the fairest To speak morally by these three goddesses/ are understanden three times/ that is to weet the time of nature in which reigned moche puissance and might/ For in time passed reigned many giants strong & mighty/ Item the time of the law written/ in which reigned moche sapience & wisdom/ For the same time were founden the sciences/ Item also the time of grace and of love/ that is to weet when our lord descended in to this world/ But the goddess of discord/ that is to weet the devil/ caste the apple among the said goddessis/ that is to weet in this world/ by sloth/ Nevertheless for the discord that the devil put betwixt god & the man by sins/ the son of god which is the very apple would descend in to this world within the goddess of love and benevolence/ that is to weet within the precious womb of the virgin mary/ the which after was borne all naked & pourely as the other men/ & after received death & passion and returned all naked there as he was comen fro/ the which by his worthy and precious passion bought us again from the pains of hell/ Ne timeas illam quae vite est ultima finis Qui mortem metuit dum vivit perdit idipsum tHou oughtest not to doubt the death the which is end of this life/ for who that doubteth it/ he falleth all most in desperation/ & it is sign & token that he evil & wickedly hath led his life in this world/ & that he hath not made satisfaction ne penance of his sins/ Seneque saith that the death is to us natural/ and not painful/ For because that we should die we are come in to this world This rule is given to every man/ and approved of every man/ Therefore it aught to be kept of all men withouten doubtance/ We readen of an abbot named agatho/ the which when he should die/ three days before his death held his eyen open/ without moving of himself/ then the brethren seeing this demanded and said to him/ father what do ye/ and where are ye/ The which answered to them & said/ before our lord abiding his judgement/ then the brethren said to him/ then father doubt ye the death/ To whom he said/ notwithstanding that all the days of my life I have to my power kept all the commandments of god/ Nevertheless I ne wot yet if I am worthy to have the grace of god or not/ For there is much great difference betwixt the judgement of god & the judgement of man/ and said at the end/ Know ye that I doubt not the corporal death/ but I doubt the death spiritual/ They would yet have enterroged him but to them he said speak no more to me for I am impeached & occupied & have moche things to do/ the which soon after rendered and yielded his spirit or soul/ Si tibi pro meritis nemo respondet amicus Incusare deum noli set te ipse coherce tHou oughtest not to blame god for as much as thou hast no friends/ notwithstandinging that thou hast done many services & moche good to some other which known ne remembren it not/ & show them not to be thy friends/ for thou oughtest to refrain & amodere thyself/ & not to speak foolishly in swearing & dyspyting god/ because that fortune & thy friends been against & contrary to thee/ But thou oughtest to say as the true man job said/ god gave it to me/ god hath taken it fro me/ It is done as it hath pleased to god/ god be thanked of all/ Latence recounteth an history of the cite of rome the which was in great poverty by fortune of wars/ but there was in the said cite a noble roman which for the common weal of the city exposed and dispended all his richesse in such manner that for the common weal he became right power/ It happened once that he passed thorough a desert where he found a colompne or pillar where upon was an image or statue which had one hand up right showing toward a mountain which was nigh thence/ and the other hand held on his side/ But the said roman went nigh to the said image which he beheld moche well/ then when the son smote upon the shoulders of the said image/ the shadow of the hand which was upright resplendysshed upon the said mountain/ And in deed the roman went toward the said mountain for to see what it was/ that th'image showed with the hand/ and there he found a gate of iron which was shut/ whereof he was much marveled and thought in himself to return toward the said image and supposed to find there the key of the gate of iron under the other hand of the said image/ And as he had thought and supposed he fond the key under the said hand within a little gate of iron/ which key he took & returned toward the mounteyn where he had found the gate of iron/ the which he opened & found therein a great treasure of the which he made rich both himself/ and the city also/ And thereof he rendered graces and thanks to god his creator and maker that had given to him more goods than ever he had/ had before/ Ne tibi quid desit quesitis utere parce Vt que quod et serves semper tibi deesse putato tHou oughtest to dispend thy gotten goods by measure to the end that they fail ne lack not in time to come/ For thou oughtest ever to think that they may fail to the within a little space of time/ and that when thou hadst lost them/ thou hadst lost thy life and thy substance/ Therefore thou oughtest not to give them to thy friends nor dispend them so largely/ that thou ne retain some of it for the time which is yet to come/ That is to say/ to speak morally/ that thou oughtest to govern thyself in such manner in this world/ that at the end thou mayst have the life eternal/ and to keep so well the commandments of god that at the end they lac●●e ne fail not to thee/ for to have & get the life eternal/ Men may use the goods of this world unlawfully in three manners/ First when one dyspendeth them Illicitly and wilfully without cause/ Secondly when men dyspenden them overgladly and abundantly/ Thirdly when men hold and keep them and use them avariciously without departing of them to the pour people/ Quod prestare potes ne bis promiseris ulli Ne sis ventosus dum vis bonus ipse videri tHou oughtest to give when thou mayst without promitting a thing twice in delayeng it from day to day/ For none ought to say one thing/ and think the contrary/ to the end that he be not reputed & holden for a liar and for a bygyler/ specially when thou wilt be holden for a good man and a true/ and yet thou oughtest to put thyself in pain for to have good fame or renom me/ and good praising/ Hit followeth three evil principal/ for to promit & not hold the promise/ first because that he to whom thou hast promytted to give a cexteyn some of silver or other thing/ at a certain day/ trusteth thy words & holdeth him for sure to have at the said day/ that which thou hast promytted to him/ and upon that trust he may assign and promit the said thing to another at the said day/ And thus when thou failest and begylest him/ he faileth also to the other and he is reputed and holden for a liar/ and if thou hadst not promytted to him/ he had purveyed himself else where/ Secondly because that he falseth his faith/ and is reputed for a beguiler/ Thirdly because that men own to thee/ therefore neither thank ne grace when thou tarriest to give overlong therefore it is said who giveth soon giveth twice/ Qui similat verbis nec cord est fidus amicus Tu quoque fac simile/ sic ars deluditur arte tHou oughtest not to trust him that feigneth himself to be thy friend by sweet words/ and pleasant without he be thy heartily friend/ Therefore thou oughtest to do to him like wise/ that is to weet in showing thyself faintly to be his friend dyssymylyngly/ and not h●●rtelye And thus one art and a falseheed is vytupered and deceived/ by another art and falsehood/ or also it may be exposed/ He that feigneth by sharp words rebuking & chastising thy vices and sins/ to be thine enemy/ and in his heart he loveth thee/ truly this is a very friend/ Therefore thou oughtest to do to him like wise in time and place as the ca●●s requireth/ And thus one art that is to Weet an evil will and one evil purposes/ is reproved by another art/ that is to weet by good doctrine & ensignment or teaching Men may keep faith and love with his friend in three manners first that thou deceive him not by sweet words feigned pleasant and deceivable/ Secondly that for no thing thou tell nor discover his secret/ Thirdly that thou leave him not in danger nor in adversity to thy power/ Nulli homines blando nimio sermone probare Fistula dulcé canit volucrem dum decipit anceps tHou oughtest to approve overmuch the men which speaken sweetly/ For by sweet words they deceive thee/ as he which taketh birds doth/ which by his sweet song and falseheed in countrefeyting the voice of the bird/ deceiveth it and maketh it to fall in to his grins Seneque saith that flattery reigneth thorough all the world/ and specially in the princes courts and in the courts of the lords both spiritual and temporalle/ It is red of Saint Amkrose which reproved openly the Emperor of his sin/ To whom the Emperor answered/ that he had founden a man of truth/ But now this day the princes & lords both of the church and seculars will not here ne understand them which say truth to them/ For he which can best flatere them/ is best loved of them/ Cum tibi sint nati nec opes tunc artibus illos Instrue quo possint inopem deffendere vitam tHou oughtest to do thy children to be learned and teached in some art and craft/ whereby he may defend and eschew the life indigent and miserable of this world/ specially when thou art pour/ to the end that by poverty thou be not constrained for to do some thing whereof both thyself and thy lineage might receive blame and dishonour/ For it is said commonly that craft is better than the idleness/ for the good craft may not fail/ but the richesses fail well/ Polecratus recounteth/ that the Emperor Octovyan how be it that he was rich and mighty/ he made craft to be learned and taught to his children/ first he made his sons to excercise them and to be taught in the fayte of arms and also in other arts and divers crafts/ to th'end that they might use their life by their art or craft if they had need in time to come/ Secondly he made his daughters to learn them for to work in wulle and with the needle/ and to sell and to buy to the end that if their livelihood failed to them/ their craft might then help them for to eschew the power & Indygent life of this world/ For it is seen oft-times that they which have greatest livelihood and possessions/ becomen and fallen in great poverty/ by their evil and wicked rule/ or else by fortune/ & because that they can no craft ne no science they comen oft in to many and great Inconuenyentes/ Quod vile est carum quod carum vile putato Sic tibi nec cuprous nec avarus nosceris ulli tHou oughtest to think that/ that which is now foul shall be fair and dear in time to come/ And to the contrary/ thou oughtest to think that/ that which is of present or now dear shall be lothly and fowl in time to come/ Therefore thou oughtest to use it in such manner/ that thou be not reputed and holden for avaricious ne hurter of thyself nor to other/ Or also it may be exposed when some giveth to the a yefte which is fowl and of little valour/ thou oughtest to hold it for dear/ and thus thou shalt not be holden for unkind/ nor avaricious ne covetous nor contrary to thyself ne to none other/ Or otherwise it may be exposed that/ that which is fowl in this world/ that is to weet poverty/ shall be dear in the other world before god And to the contrary that/ which is dear in this world/ that is to weet richesse/ shall be fowl and displeasant to god in the other world/ joseph when he was with the king of Egypte/ by divine revelation was said to him/ that it should be seven year of dear time/ And therefore he counseled unto the king/ that while the corn was good cheap that he should make purveyance and store of it to the end that in time coming he might help with it his power people in time of famyn or dearth/ as thou hast in the history all along in the book of Genesis/ Que culpare soles ta tu ne feceris ipse Turpe est doctori cum culpa redarguit ipsum tHou oughtest not to do the sins of the which thou wilt reprove and chastise the other to the end that with the same punition that thou wilt punish the other thou be not punished/ For fowl thing is to the teacher or doctor/ wha n his own fault and sin reproveth himself/ Therefore saith saint Austyn/ that to speak well and to do evil is none other thing/ than to condemn himself with his own mouth and word/ For if thou wilt have the little straw out of thy brother's eye/ take out the great baulk which is in thine own eye/ or else thou dost great folly/ Wherefore thou oughtest first to reprove & chastise thine own self/ and after thou mayst well reprove and chastise other/ Quod justum est petito vel quod videatur honestum Nam stultum est petere quod possit iure negari tHou oughtest to demand the thing which is just true and lawful/ to the end that it may not be denied ne wythsayed/ for it is great folly to demand or ask the thing/ which may be lawfully and of right wythsayed and refused/ And thou oughtest to know that there been some that sechen and fynden/ as they which understonden that/ that they demaunden and sechen/ Therefore saith Ihesu christ seek ye & ye shall find/ The other been which seken and finden no thing/ As they which understonden not that/ that they sechen/ therefore saith yet Ihesu christ/ ye know nor understand not that/ that ye seeken/ The other been which seek not ne find not/ as they that understonden no thing/ But he that knoweth not shall be unknown/ that is to weet that he which shall forget himself shall be forgotten/ Before that thou requirest or makest some petitions or demands/ if thou wilt be herd & enhanced thou oughtest to consider four things/ first that he to whom thou requirest or makest thy petition/ have might to give or to do the thing which thou requirest of him/ Secondly that he which demandeth/ be worthy to have the thing which he demandeth/ Thirdly that thou have utility and profit by the thing which thou requirest/ Fourthly that thy petition or asking be true & reasonable/ Men may lawfully require of our lord god three things/ first men may axe of god that which is needful to the life that is to weet his nourishing/ as meet drink and clothing which must be demanded by reason and without excess/ Secondly the conservation of his own body & of his goods both temporal and spiritual/ Thirdly to demand help & succour of god in just battle/ as it appeareth in the book of kings Ignotum tu tibi noli preponere notis Cognita judicio constant incognita casu tHou oughtest not to hold ne approve the thing unknown to be true/ before the things which thou knowest true and lawful/ For thou mayst do true judgement on the things which thou knowest/ but of such that thou knowest not/ thou mayst not judge but by adventure and hap/ As when thou knowest a good holy man/ thou oughtest more to honour him and to have greater trust in him/ then in him that thou knowest not/ how be it that he be good/ Therefore it is said commonly/ that one ought not to rehearse and utter his council nor go in to the fellowship of the unknown man/ And that men ought to love more the old friend approved/ then the new friend which is not approved nor assayed/ Cum dubia et incertis versetur vita periclis Pro lucro tibi pone diem quicunque laboras tHou oughtest to believe and to know for certain that thy life is doubtous/ in right great apparel and uncertain/ For we been uncertain of the hour of death and of the fortunes which may come to us/ And therefore we that been and labourens in this perilous valley ought to suffice to us one day for all our labour and salary of all the time passed On the which day we ought to have contrition and to make true confession of all our sins/ A vision be fell sometime to a good holy man which was on the rivage of the see to whom seemed and was advice that the waves of the see would have covered and drowned him/ wherefore he ran hastily fro the rivage/ but as he ran he saw a great and wonder horrible lion coming against him for to devour and eat him/ but for dread he looked down to th'earth and then he saw come before him a serpent which cast fire & flame out of his mouth/ the which like wise would have devoured him/ then when the good man saw that he might not scape he lift up his eyen toward the heaven/ and prayed god devoutly that he would keep and preserve him from this great peril and danger/ then he saw an angel from heaven which held with one hand a crown/ And with the other hand he held a sword/ which angel spoke to him and said/ Ne doubt thou not/ for thou shalt scape from all these parels/ if thou dost that I shall tell to thee/ first thou shalt go against the serpent hardly & shalt put thy foot within his throat/ and soon he shall be deed/ And after thou shalt go against the lion/ for he is not so strong as thou weenest/ for he is right feeble/ and I promytte thee/ to give to the this crown if thou wilt do that I have said/ or else I shall slay the with this sword/ To speak morally by the see is understonden all the world which chaseth us by the undes or waves/ that is by dyue●●se temptations/ By the lion is understonden the devil of ●●lle which tempteth us fro day to day/ but he that will resysten against him he may soon overcome and conquer him/ By the serpent thou oughtest to understand the flesh to whom thou ouhhtest to put thy foot within the throat/ that is to weet that thou must doubt and refrain it by fasting & prayers And if thou dost it not thus/ the angel shall not give to the the crown which he beareth/ but he shall slay the with his sword/ and he shall let the fall within the see/ that is to weet in to hell with them that been dampened/ Vincere cum possis interdum cede sodali Obsequio quoniam dulces retinentur amici tHou oughtest not alweye to vanquish ne put under fe●●t thine enemy/ but thou oughtest sometime to forgive & pardon/ though thou mayst vanquish & overcome/ but by sweet and friendly words thou oughtest to refrain thyself fro that/ which thou mightest well do/ For by such service and benefits thou shalt mow hold and keep him for thy true and faithful friend/ because that sweet and friendly words refraynen great ire/ Item two faithful friends ought to love each other perfectly and to be of one will/ For two dogs be stronger for to take a wolf then one dog alone/ Thus when two good friends been well allied to guider/ they be stronger and more redoubted then one alone/ Ne dubites cum magna petas impendere parva Hijs etenim rebus coniungit gracia caro●● Thou oughtest not to doubt ne to complain to give a little gift to thy friend/ when thou doubtest not ne hast no shame to demand of him a great gift/ for by such things grace and friendship joinen and bynden to guider two good friends and fellows/ That is to say that men ought not to spare to give worldly things that been little & fowl for to acquire and get therefore grace friendship and benevolence which are of great profit/ & moche to be praised/ It is red of two fellows which loved each other moche dearly/ of the which the one Wrote all that his fellow gave to him/ And in like wise the other wrote all that he gave to his fellow/ It happened then that they had questyonned to guider for to wete and know which of them two loved most perfectly his fellow/ he that had written all that his fellow had given to him said that he loved more perfectly by cause that when he oversaw his book/ he remembered the fair yefts which his fellow had given to him/ the which yefts were cause that he never departed from the friendship and love of his fellow/ the other answered that he said well but yet said he/ I have better cause than thou hast/ For I ●●oke within my book wherein I have written the yefts which I have given to thee/ to the end that they be cause to hold the ever in perfit love and frendshyy/ the which two fellows of their question made judge a sage and wise prophet/ which judged that he loved more perfit which did write that that he gafe to his fellow/ Morally to speak our Lord hath given to us many yefts/ not for to reproach them unto us/ but to th'end that be lose us not lightly he writeth and entereth them in to his book/ that is to wete within his thought for if we leave him not he shall not leave us/ Item at the other side we ought to write within our consciences the yefts and benefits which he giveth to us & hath given/ & to study & read them often/ to th'end that we may have his glory and benediction at the end of our days/ Litem infer cave cum quo tibi gran juncta est Ira odium generat concordia nutrit amorem THou oughtest not to take noise ne debate with him Which thou lovest/ & of whom thou art in grace/ Ne also with none other person for/ ire & hate eng●●dren many inconvenients & dissensions/ but concord and peace engendereth love and dilection/ after right canon men ought to flee & eschew noises & brawling for five causes/ the first is by cause that he which gladly taketh noise and debate is customed to be arrogaunte and despitous/ The Second by cause that he is accustomed to be a flatterer/ The third by cause that he is accustomed to be false and traitor/ the fourth by cause that he is accustomed to be false and full of challenge The fifth because that he is accustomed to dispraise gladly and to make noise and debate/ servorum ob culpam cum te dolor urget in iram Ipse tibi moderare tuis ut parcere possis THou oughtest not to correct and chastise thy servants when thou art wroth and filled of ire/ 〈◊〉 be it that they be guilty and culpable/ but thou oughtest to forbear and attempre thyself unto the time that thine ire be passed/ by cause that if thou reprendred and chastised them when thou art wroth/ thou mightest chastise them without measure and dysordynatlye/ Therefore Seneques Would never chastise his servants when he was wroth/ but held the hand upright upon them wythouten smiting unto time that his ire and wrath were gone and passed/ and said if I chastised them when I am Wroth/ I should slay them/ but when I have attempered mine ire I chastise them by measure/ The wise man saith/ that he is a fool which son judgeth after his ire/ and that he which can refrain & moder his ire is right sage and wise/ Que superare potes nondum vince ferendo Maxima etenim morum est semper paciencia virtus THou oughtest to forbear and spare sometime them that thou mayst vynquysshe and overcome/ For patience is the greatest virtue of all virtues of good conditions/ By cause that by the name of patience all the other virtues taken force/ vigour and attemperance/ Therefore saith the proverb/ that virtue is widow when she is not a●●urned confirmed and attempered with patience/ by cause that all the other virtues rewlen and ordeynen them by patience/ for patience vanquisheth all/ Conserua pocius que sunt iam parta labore Cum labour in dampno est crescit mortalis egestas THou oughtest to keep and spare that/ which thou hast acquired and gotten with great pain and with great sweat of thy body/ and more moderately thou oughtest to dispend it/ than that which cometh of advantage and withouten pain and travail/ For every one doubteth the pain and labour that men have for to get them Item also naturally every man keepeth and loveth better that which he acquireth with pain and great travail/ then that which cometh of advantage/ For when one dyspende●●h that which is gotten with great labour/ he falleth to great poverty and damage and in to mortal indigence/ which grown and increaseth from day to day/ We readen of two hosemakers of the which the one was pour and had so great famylle or main/ that his craft might not govern ne sustain his household ne to furnish the expenses/ the which as a wise man put himself to serve god continually/ & heard mass every day without fail/ and thus by the grace of god/ had ever of worldly goods enough for to hold and sustain his estate with/ But the other which was more rich than he was/ wrought both on sundays & holidays/ the which by punition of god fell in to great indigence & poverty/ & in deed/ by great ire/ as all wroth said to his neighbour/ how farest thou/ & how goeth thy fayte/ thou werkest not the half of the time/ but alway thou livest & farest more largely/ & hast more of worldly goods than I have that work both holydayee & sundays continually The which answered to him that he had found a treasure in the earth of the which he was wexen rich/ and that if he would do as he did/ of all that they should find he should have his part/ which accorded thereto and went every day to the church as did his neighbour/ and soon he had of worldly goods enough when he began to serve and to love god/ Therefore saith the gospel/ seek ye first the kingdom of god/ and all things shall come to your behoove 〈◊〉 abundance largely/ Dapsilis interdum notis et caris amicis Cum fueris felix semper tibi proximus esto THou oughtest to give and to be large sometime unto thy dear friends/ and to show thyself humble and benign toward them/ but always thou oughtest first to help thyself/ For as saith the apostle none ought to hate his flesh ne his person/ charity beginneth at himself and after to his parents and to the other who hath the might and puissance/ Men may compare the rich man to the hen/ by cause that the hen taketh so great curiosity to nourish her chyckyns/ that often she forbeareth eting for their sake/ in so much that she wexyth all lean/ but when the chickens are great they remembren them not of it/ for they know her no more ne setten nought by her/ Semblably when the rich man hath nowrisshed his children in their youth well dearly and hath often foboren meet and drink for to gather and assemble goods for them/ when they are great and out of the danger of their father and mother they remembren it not/ and setten nought by them/ Therefore I council the when thou art rich & mighty that thou ne give ne distrybue thy goods to thy children ne to thy parents & friends without thou have first purveyed unto thyself/ That is to say that thou reteygne and hold so largely of thy goods that it may suffice for to help thy body/ and specyalle thy soul/ Incipit liber secundus ¶ Telluris si forte velis cognoscere cultus Virgilium legito/ quod si mage nosce laboras IF thou wilt know the cultyving and eering of the earth and how men ought to labour and make it clean/ and when men must sow & gather again thou must read the poet vyrgylle/ for in his book thou shalt find the manner for to cultive and labour the earth/ and by cause that by such labour men get and acquire many great richesses/ the auncyentes' dyte put their cure and study for to labour and cultive the earth/ but this opinion is false/ for the sovereign good of this World is to serve & love god Herbarum vires macer tibi carmina dicet IF thou wilt know the force & virtue of herbs/ thou must read this poet macer/ the ancients said that the sovereign We'll of this world was in the health of the body/ & therefore they put all their wit & study for to know the proprete & virtue of the herbs by cause that they been ordained for the health of the body/ the which opinion is false/ Si romana cupis et punica noscere bella Lucanum queras qui martis prelia dicet IF thou wilt know the battles of rome & of afrique read this poet named lucan/ the auncyentes said that the sovereign weal of this world was in getting of good fame & renome of noblesse/ & therefore they did put all their estudye for to know the faytes or deeds of thancients And specially of ●●heym of Rome and of Auffryque/ the which have been moche subtle upon the fayte and deed of were/ Si quid amare libet vel discere amare legendo, Nazonem petito/ Sinautem tibi cura hec est IF thou wilt love and have a paramour/ read thou the poet named nazo the lecher/ thancient supposed that the sovereign good of this world had been in pleasures and worldly delectations/ And therfor●● ●●tudyed and learned this poet Nazo/ which teacheth the 〈◊〉 and manner for to love paramours/ Vt sapiens vivas audi que discere possis Per que semotum vicijs deducitur cuum Ergo ades et que sit sapiencia disce legendo IF thou wilt live wisely/ flee the vices/ and follow the virtues/ the which putten all vices & sins out of the person/ Item thou oughtest to read and study in such manner that thou mayst become sage and wise & to acquire sapience & wisdom/ & to flee the false opinions & errors of ancient beforesaid in the iiij precedent commandments/ Si potes ignotis eciam prodesse memento Vtilius regno est meritis acquirere amicos Thou oughtest to do well & to do profit to the strangers/ & not all only to thy parents & friends/ For it is more utile & profitable for to acquire a friend by thy labour and good deeds/ than for to acquire a royalme or some great treasure/ solomon saith that better is to acquire ●● good name & good grace/ than gold or silver/ Therefore 〈◊〉 tullius that there nies cite ne castle that may long endure with outen friendship and concord/ God maketh rain to fall/ both upon the good folks/ and upon evil folk/ wherefore thou oughtest not all only to love the good people/ But also sometime the evil folks/ and to teach and induce them to do well and to give and help them at their need/ miseries and adversities/ Mitte archana dei, celum que inquirere quid fit Cum sis mortalis que sunt mortalia cura THou oughtest not to inquire ne know the secrets of god nor what thing is the heaven/ that is for to wete of such secrets that human nature may not attain know ne understand/ But thou must believe steadfastly without any doubt that/ that the church believeth and holdeth for true/ And by cause that thou art mortal/ thou oughtest to inquire of the mortal or dedelye things and not of the divine and immortal things/ Therefore saith the apostle that there is none eye that hath seen Ne ear that ever heard/ ne heart that thought nor can think/ the goods which god hath made ready and ordained for them which are of good love and true believe/ For he which eateth overmuch of honey/ it letteth him/ like wise he that overmuch inquireth of the secrets of god more then nature human ne may ne ought to know ne understand shall be oppressed before god and prived fro his glory/ ¶ To this question men may answer by two examples/ first it is red of a prophet which studied long for to know the nature and kind of the bees or honey flees/ but he could never find ne know it/ Item Tulles recounteth in his book/ that he made of the nature and kind of the gods/ that a king demanded of a prohete what thing was god/ then the prophet demanded term and space for to answer to the said question/ And the king gafe him term of three days/ Item after that the three days were passed the prophet demanded yet longer term/ unto whom the king gafe only three days/ Item after the three days he would have had yet greater term Ha said then the king I see well that thou mocquest me/ But the prophet escused himself graciously and said that he mocqued not/ but he said/ I consider and suppose that god is so over sovereign and uncomparable and unlike/ For the more I think on him/ the more I am confused and abashed and wot not what I should say/ and by no manner I ne may know what thing is god/ And now answereth the prophet to the question principal/ and saith that a maker of earthen pots may make of one earth a pot to his worship/ and another of like earth to his disworship/ ¶ Item saint austin saith that god hath made to be borne the evil and wicked folk for four reasons/ The first is that by cause of them the good folk seem the better/ as the white breed seemeth to be better and fairer by the black and brown breed/ The second is by cause that the justice of god is approved and enhanced by the evil folk/ For he is so full of misericord that all the world should be saved/ if his justice showed and appeared not/ and if a judge should pardon and forgive all/ he should not seem to be just/ and by the contrary if he never pardonned nor forgafe he should not seem to be myserycordyous ne merciful/ The third is for the evil and wicked folk/ the good are worshipped and therefore is to them/ ready made/ greater guerdon or reward/ Item if there had be no wicked folk/ our Lord had not taken death/ Ne saint stephen had not be cast with stones/ ne no martyr crowned/ The fourth is by cause that of the evil and wicked folk have been borne and begotten more saints thenne of the other/ For of Esau which was right wicked and evil man/ and of achab was engendered or begotten ezechyas and thus of many other/ Item out of the thorn groweth the rose/ and if men did cut and destroy all the thorn trees there should no roses grow no more/ and thus by the thing beforesaid appeareth clearly that god hath made the Wicked and evil folk for to have and get unto him the good and faithful people/ and for to show his misericord and his justice/ Now then sithen it is so as I have said to the and approved that none may know the secrets of god/ How might men know that/ that he will do/ ne the cause why he did all that he hath done/ notwithstanding that saint austin and many other/ as I have said have given and shown of it many natural reasons/ And therefore thou oughtest not to inquire of the secrets of god no ferther then nature human may know and understand/ ¶ The doctors been of opinion and say that the prescience of god beareth ne wythholdeth nothing of need/ but that it may befall otherwise/ And this approveth boece of consolation by reasons & ensamples first he saith that god knoweth some things needfully & naturally for to come/ as he knoweth of need that the son riseth in the morning/ Item he knoweth some things of free and lyberalle arbiter/ for he knoweth well when some will do some thing/ and that hath his free will and lyberalle arbiter for to do it or not/ Therefore the man doth naturally that/ that he doth/ For thus hath god instituted and ordained it/ Item the son riseth of need/ by cause that god ordained it so/ & thus the things which ought for to come naturally been needful/ but they that comen by liberal arbiter/ been free to do it or not/ For thus hath god ordained instituted and foreseen/ Item it may be proved by ensample that the divine prescience of god wytholdeth ne beareth no need/ Now suppose we that in some place is a way which is devised in three ways/ thorough which way a man must pass/ Item let us suppose that another man is high upon a montaygne which knoweth all things that are to come/ the which crieth with an high voice unto him that should pass by the way devised in three ways/ & said/ I defend the that thou ne pass thorough the life way but by the right way/ or at the lest by the middle way/ if this man set ne retch not of his saying/ but goeth thorough the lift way and falleth in to the hands of his enemies/ what may do thereto the man which was upon the montaygne which knew well all things that were to come/ and that forbade and deffended to him that he should not pass by the lift way/ None is then cause of his harm & evil but he alone/ sith that he had his lyberalle arbiter and free will for to have passed by such a way as it pleased to him/ and also when it was forboden and deffended to him/ he ought not to have passed thorough it/ but aught to have passed by the right way/ or else by the middle way And thus it appeareth that the divine prescience of god beareth ne wytholdeth none of the things that are for to come/ and of which men have lyberalle and free will for to do them or not/ Item there been some prophets which say that the man which is borne in a good planet or sign/ shall be well fortuned/ and if he be borne in an evil planet he shall be evil fortuned/ This error reproveth saint gregory in his om●●ye/ and saith that many been borne in this world in one like sign and planet/ and in one like point/ of the which some been kings or dukes/ and the other are puttyers and right wicked and evil/ To this answeren the said prophets and say/ that the point is passed in a twinkling of an eye/ Saint gregory saith and answereth that how be it/ that it be so/ that the point is passed in a twinkling of an eye/ Nevertheless it is unpossible to be borne in the same point and within so short a space of time/ For men seen by experience/ that when a child is to be borne many points may pass or he be borne/ Therefore saith saint gregory that this may not be true/ For if the constellation were needful cause to have we●●/ or evil/ or to be dampened/ or saved/ the man might escuse himself of his sin before god saying/ Sir creator or maker of all things ye have given to the same planet on the which I was borne/ such a property that she hath constrained me for to do such a sin/ to the which I may not resist/ And as saith saint austin/ sin is wylleful/ For that which is done against his will and by force is not sin/ Wherefore me seemeth that I ought for to be escused of the sin which I have done against mine own will/ and by the Influence of the sign and planet on which I am borne/ the which constraineth me for to do all that I do/ This opinion and error is the worst of all the other beforesaid/ For if it were so that all things were ordained of god/ that it might none otherwise be/ it should follow thereof many inconvenients/ first by cause that sin sholnd not be sin/ for his sin by the ordinance of god were then needful and necessary thing/ and thus god should have no cause for to punish the synnars/ Item also weal were not weal/ Item god should have no justice/ for it should be quenched and set as nought/ by cause that there should be neither paradise nor hell/ Item men should not retch of no temporal thing/ ne should have no need to labour and cultive the earth/ Ne for to hold no fairs/ ne to make any merchandises/ Ne also should not need to take no medicines sith that all were ordained and predestined when men should die/ Thus men might say that he which should be dampened be divine predestination/ might not be saved in doing after his lyberalle arbiter and free will/ For all should be of need and necessary/ Linque metum leti nam stultum est tempore in omni Dum mortem metuis. amittis gaudia vite THou oughtest to believe and not to doubt all only the bodily death/ by cause that in all times is folly to doubt the death/ for when thou doubtest the death thou lesest the joy of thy life/ nevertheless thou oughtest to doubt and often to think of the spiritual death for four reasons The first is by cause that he which oft thinketh on it abstaineth him of doing evil/ The second is by cause that men been the more humble of heart/ The third is to the end that we think for to do well/ The fourth is that thou desirest the life mortal/ for to have the life spiritual which is without end/ a holy man required and prayed sometime to our lord that he would show to him what thing the death was/ the which heard a voice within a wood that was nigh to his hermitage/ which voice called him/ whereof he was moche abashed/ then he go out of his hermitage and saw a wonder marvelous be'st/ which had the body of an ass legs and thighs of an heart/ feet of an horse/ and face of a lion/ and had divers horns/ and teeth of divers manners/ but always it had a voice human/ to speak morally/ The conditions beforesaid/ are the effects and conditions of the death/ by the body of the ass is understonden that the death beareth all things as the ass doth/ For she beareth the soul to god if she hath done well/ and if she hath done evil she beareth her to the devil/ Item she beareth the body for to be eaten of worms/ and the richesses unto the parents and friends by the legs & thighs of the heart thou oughtest to understand the lyg●●hnesse of the death/ for she leapeth overalle swyftelye and lightly/ for now she sleeth a man in bombardye/ And soon she sleeth another in france/ for she leapeth and gooth lightly thorough all lands and contrees of the world/ By the horse feet ought thou to understand the remorse of conscience/ For as the horse is a be'st fighting & batayllous thus the death maketh the soul to fight against god by the remorse of conscience/ yielding to god reason of all that she did when she was in her body/ by that she hath an heed of a lion is to be understonden that she doubteth none/ for like as the lion doubteth neither young nor old/ ne sage/ noble/ nor rich/ ne strong/ nor prelate ne lay man/ Thus the death ne doubteth no creature living/ by the divers manners of teeth that she hath/ thou oughtest to understand the diversity of dying/ For the death sleeth by divers manners/ By the divers horns thou oughtest to understand that ●●she hurteth and smiteth all/ without sparing of none/ as pope's cardinals/ emperors/ kings/ duke's/ princes/ and earls/ and generally all them that been borne of mother/ by that/ that she hath voice of man/ thou oughtest to understand the deception and falsehood of the death/ For sometime she maketh some to die in deed and sometime she feigneth herself to come/ and cometh not/ but soon after she cometh suddenly smiting/ wherefore everyone ought always to live well/ to the end that he may die well and without doubt and spiritually/ for men ought to doubt the life spiritual/ and not the life temporal/ Iratus de le incetar contendere noli Impedit ira animum ne possis cernere verum THou oughtest not to take debate nor strife against any person living of a thing uncertain/ specially when thou art wroth/ for ire empessheth the wit and courage of the man/ in such manner that he may ne can not judge nor see if the thing be true or not/ Therefore men ought to inform first himself by good and ripe delyberation or he moveth noise or strife/ for ire is none other thing but a tempestous wind which troubleth and destroyeth oft the life of man/ in moving wars and descensions and debates withouten end/ by deed and by word/ the which is cause to waste and destroy towns cities & castles/ against them that are wroth and angry there been two principal remedies/ that is to weet/ sweet words/ & sweet answer/ and without answer of no thing to the contrary For like as thou seest by experience that the wood multeplyeth the fire/ like wise/ contrary answers multeplyen & chauffen the man which is wroth and troubled/ Fac sumptum propere cum res desiderat ipsa Dādū etenim est aliquid cum tempus postulat aut res THou oughtest to do with good heart & hastily thine expenses/ that is to weet thy present or yeft when the thing requireth it/ considering when thou oughtest to give/ and to whom thou oughtest to give/ For thou oughtest to give in time and place as the thing requireth For there is time for to sow/ and time for to reap/ time for to lose/ and time for to win/ all things have their time/ The wise man saith/ dispend largely in time and place without making of any noise or strife/ For men say comynlye that the niggard expendeth more than the lyberalle Therefore it is necessary to dispend oft and to give of his goods joyously/ Quod nimium est fugito puo gaudere memento Tuta magis puppis est que modico flumine fertar TTHou oughtest to be content of little thing well gotten/ and to flee all superfluity/ For the ship saylleth more surely in a little river/ than in a great flood as in the see/ Therefore saith the wise man/ that better is to have few and little things and goods well gotten by justice and by measure/ then to have many goods evil gotten by iniquity without justice and measure/ The prophet saith that by as much as the man is more rich and set in great dignity in to this world/ the more pour he is toward the sight of god/ The proverb saith that he which hath little/ or as nought/ is rich/ And he which is full and hath plenty of richesse is pour/ Quod pudeat socios prudens celare memento Ne plures culpent id quod tibi displicet uni THe man that is wise and sage ought to hide 〈◊〉 blame and shame of his fellows/ to th'end that m●●ny know not that/ thyself alone knowest/ For they should be of many more blamed and shamed than of the alone/ but thou oughtest to chastise them secretly/ and not openly/ The proverb saith/ that he is false which rehearseth and telleth the secret of his friend/ Item all that thine eyen seen/ thou oughtest not to recite ne tell/ but thou oughtest to keep hit secret Nolo putes pravos homines peccata lucrari Temporibus peccata latent et tempore patent I Will not that thou ween ne suppose that the evil and wicked men sinners feign their sins without to have and receive punition and corection in this world or in the other/ for the sins been oft hid for a time/ but afterward in certain time they are known and manifested and also punished/ If god punished not the synnars it should seem that they should win and that they should go quite of their sins/ and that their fayte should be the better therefore/ or else that they should/ have some profit/ which thing were against right and reason/ For none evil shall abide withouten punition/ ne no good deeds without remuneration/ there is none so secret a sin but that at the last it shall be manifested and known/ Therefore been oft deceived they that ween to hide their sins/ as david did of the sin that he had/ done and commised with barsabee/ the which sin before all the people of Israhel was reveled and known/ as it is written in the second book of kings/ Corporis exigui vires contempnere noli Confilio pollet cui vim natura negavit THou oughtest not to dispraise the forces & 〈◊〉 of them which are little and feeble of body/ ne of them which be pour of worldly goods/ for how be it that there be many which are little and feeble of body by appearance or sight/ Nevertheless it happeth oft-times that they to whom nature hath denied and forsaken her forces or strengths/ been better and more virtuous to give a good counsel/ than the other which are strong and mighty of body/ The grain of mostarde/ how be it that it is little and lothly/ nevertheless he hath moche of forces and of virtues first be modereth the great humours which are within the body/ Item it helyth the bit of a serpent/ Of cold venom and of the tooth ache/ Item it purgeth or maketh clean the brain/ and helyth and breaketh the stone/ and causeth good appetite/ and also comforteth the stomach/ and hel●●th dropsy/ who should ween that so little and so foul a grain had so great virtues/ Item there is found a precious stone named agathe which is black of colour/ This stone is of many and wonder marvelous virtues and propyrtees/ For when it is kindled it maketh the serpents to flee/ & healeth the demonyackes or mad folk/ For it is contrary to the devils/ Item if a daughter drink of the water wherein the said stone shall have be weted/ if she be a maid she shall cry whether she will or not/ Item it maketh the ladies flowers to come/ and peaseth the dolour of the belly/ and also it helpeth the women to be delivered of their birth/ Item saint ysydore saith/ that the said stone kynled and set on fire burneth within the water/ and who put it in oil it quencheth/ which thing seemeth to be against nature/ Quem scieris non esse parem tibi tempore cede Victorem à victo superari sepe videmur THou oughtest to forbear and to favour in time and place/ him which thou knowest not match ne like to the of time nor of age/ ne that hath not so gre●● experience as thou haste/ for he which hath oft-times vanquished and done many a fair fayte or deed/ is sometime veynquysshed of him that before was vanquished/ The cockadrylle is so strong and so great a serpent/ that there is not so great a be'st ne so strong that may do him evil/ but there is a little be'st named mycor which put her self in to the filth/ and then the cockadrylle findeth it/ & devoureth it/ the which as soon as she is within the belly of the said serpent it pierceth or breaketh the belly/ wherefore the cockadrylle dieth suddenly/ Aduersus notum noli contendere verbis Lis minimis verbis interdum maxima crescit tHou oughtest not to take debate ne strife against thy friends ne to them which thou knowest/ for oft by little words comen and grown great dissensions and debates or great words/ by which thou mightest lose thy friend in a little space of time/ the which thou haste acquired & gotten by long process of time with great pain/ For a little sparkle of fire kindleth oft a great fire/ Also by a little word evil uttered and said may be lost a great and good friend/ Quod deus intendat noli perquirere sort Quod statuit de te sine te deliberat ipse tHou oughtest not to inquire by sort or witch craft of that/ that god will do or hath ordained for to do of the or of some other creature/ for god hath delibered and ordained without the that/ that he will do of thee/ Seneques saith that men ought not to inquire but all only of the things which men may understand and comprehend/ & that is licyte & good for to wete and know/ It is red of a clerk which foolishly sustained & said that if he was predestined to be saved he might not be dampened/ & by the contrary if he was predestined for to be dampened/ he might not be saved/ & that of need he must be dampened/ and therefore he did all his desires & pleasures/ & retched not whether he did well or evil/ but it happened that he was right grievously seek/ then he sent for a moche wise and sage phycycyens and prayed him that he would restore to him his health/ The physician was right suffysaunte in medicine and right good theologyens/ or knowing the divine scripture/ and he knew well the will and thought of the clerk and said to him if thou oughtest to die of this sickness I should not mow help thee/ and to the contrary/ If thou ought to be healed of it/ thou shalt hele well/ Ha sir said the clerk/ I know certainly that if a remedy be not hastily put thereto I shall die/ then said to him the physician if thou bylevyst that thy life may be lengthened by the virtue of medicine and by me/ why believest thou not that penance may lengthen the life of thy soul/ The clerk then by the virtue of the words which the physician had said to him began to say/ Ha sir I require you that from hens forth on ye will be physycyen of my soul/ For by your medicine and words I am delivered out of great error and of foolish believe/ and verily I believe that mine opinion was false and evil/ To the end that none set faith to sortyleges ne to devyners'/ eurry man ought to believe steadfastly without doubt that god may do all/ and without him none may nought do/ all be he never so good a man/ How then believest thou the sortyleges and diviners/ For of that which they do and sayen/ they wot not what they do & they usen but of evil art by the revelation of the devil And that more is they should not mow do no thing against the will of god/ Thou oughtest to know of truth that often god permitteth and suffereth that/ that the sortylegers and diviners maken to come/ But as saith Saint Austyn/ god suffereth it for to prove thee/ and to know if thou art steadfast in the faith or not/ and the devil of hell doth it for to have and damn thee/ Therefore say the doctors of holy church that all though that byleven the sortyleges and devynours been excommunyed and cursed of god and of holy church/ For they been reputed and holden as ydollatres and wicked christian/ by cause that they attrybuen and given unto the devil and to nature human the honour/ reverence and faith/ which they should attrybue unto god only/ Item men find some sortyleges that maken their sort by herbs/ by words and by many other things for to hele sekenessys of folk/ of horses/ and of many other beasts Item there been some that maken letters or scrowies wherein they paint many crosses and many words/ and sayen that these words are the high names of our lord/ and that though that bear it on them may not perish in fire/ in water ne in none other parayllous place/ Item they maken other scrowes for to be bounden upon the persons for to hele of some sicknesses/ The which sortyleges and wicked folk for none excomuning ne cursing will not abstain them from their evil and damnable deeling/ & know you for certain that all though that done or maken to be done such sortyleges & witchcraft beforesaid also they that bearen it and that have trust in them/ and all though that sellen or buyen them/ given or yelden/ sin right grievously/ I say not if one gather herbs for to do some medicine/ saying upon it the pater noster/ or the credo/ that it be deadly sin without any other sortylege/ and know thou that this cursed sin of sortylege aboundeth more in women than in men/ by cause that they have lass of discretion/ & that they believe more lightly than the men/ invidiam nimio cultu vitare memento Que si non ledit tamen hanc sufferre molestum ●●Hou oughtest not to have envy on thy brother christian Ne to have over precious jewels ne raiments/ For how be it that it letteth ne dommageth not them on whom thou hast envy/ Nevertheless it is to them grief and molest for to suffer and forbear it/ for envy properly is to have joy of the evil and damage of other/ and to have woe and dolour of his we'll/ Saint Austyn saith/ that he which hath envy of other men's goods/ is like him which is blind of the rays of the son/ Seneques saith that there been as many of torments and cursings ready made for the envious/ as there are goods & blessings for the beneurous or happy/ Esto forti animo cum sis dampnatus inique Nemo diu gaudet qui judice vincit iniquo tHou oughtest to be patient and strong of courage when thou art condemned falsely and wrongfully for at the end thou shalt be thereof avenged/ for the judge that judgeth unjustly shall not enjoy long his office/ but of his unjustice and iniquity he shall be punished/ Solomon saith that the just cause & the good right that the simple person hath of himself shall dress his way/ & the wicked and unjust or untrue shall be punished of his iniquity and evil/ He that is constant & steadfast in all his adversities acquireth four goods/ The first is when he is constant or steadfast/ he may not be surmounted ne suppedyted or overcomen of all the world And by cause that all the world should not mow vaynquysshe him that is steadfast and constant/ be thou therefore constant and Insuperable/ The second is by cause that he hath ever victory on his enemies/ The iij is by cause that he becometh rich thereof The fourth is by cause that at th'end he acquireth therefore the glory of paradise/ which is ever appareled and ready for to receive them that been strong & virtuous in this world in resisting to the sins and vices of this world/ Nec te collaudes, nec te culpaveris ipse Hoc faciunt stulti quos gloria vexat inanis tHou oughtest not to praise ne to blame thyself in no manner/ For thou oughtest to leave to other to praise or blame thee/ and not thyself/ For the fools overweenen and full of vainglory preysen and glorefyen themself of their own faytes or deeds/ for three reasons evident/ none ought not to praise himself ne willing to be praised of other/ The first is let him consider the time passed and he shall find that he hath done many things/ of the which he ought to be woeful and desplaysaunte/ The second is that if he considereth and overseeth the time which is to come/ he shall see many things of which he ought to be doubtous/ The third is if he consider the time present/ he shall find within him many vices & sins/ and therefore none ought not to desire to have praising ne to praise himself in this world/ Litis preteriti noli maledicta referre Post inimicicias iram meminisse malorum est tHou oughtest to keep thy peace of thy maledyctions or cursings and strives passed and gone/ and not to rehearse ne tell them/ For thou oughtest to put them out of thy mind/ specially when thou hast made peace with him to whom thou hadst debate and noise/ For it is the deed of wicked and evil folk for to remember and to withhold in his heart the hate and rancour of time passed/ Tullyus' saith that there nies no thing so fowl ne so dishonest/ as for to make were against him with whom men have lived long with friendship in good peace and concord Item in time passed when Rome was paynim/ was a temple within Rome which was founded in the worship of the god of peace and of concord/ within the which temple/ the god of concord was set in such manner that all the other idols and statues or images which were there had the face turned toward the gate of the said temple/ And the god of concord had the face turned toward the wall/ And was written before him this same word/ benefice/ And behind him was wrypen/ ire/ in betokening that all men that will make and have peace & concord oughtest to put aback ire and all the Injuries/ wyich have been done to him/ for otherwise should be taken from him such goods that he should have acquired and gotten before/ Vtere quesitis modico cum sumptus habundat Labitur exiguo quod partum est temport longuo tHou oughtest to dispend and to use of thine acquired and gotten things by measure and attemperatly though thou have of them great abundance/ For men hath dispended and consumed in little time that which men hath acquired and spared with great labour & pain in a long space of time/ Therefore saith the decretalle/ that the living gotten and acquired by long time/ is despended in a little space of time/ And therefore men ought not to be overmuch a niggard/ ne overmuch large in giving there as no need is for to give/ by cause that all things have their time/ For there is time for to give/ and time for to with hold and to keep his goods/ Incipiens esto dum tempus postulat aut res Stulticiam similare loco prudencia summa est tHou oughtest to be sage & wise/ & to make the a fool or to dyssymylle folly in time & in place when the thing requireth it/ For it is sovereign prudence for to can dissimule folly/ that is to weet for to feign to be a fool in time & place covenable/ for many one have made and feigned to be a fool for many causes/ first for t'eschew offence human/ secondly for vainglory/ thirdly for t'eschew their person of some inconvenients/ & the fourth cause for to eschew the divine offence of god/ Luxuriam fugito simul et vitare memento Crimen avaricie nam sunt contraria fame How oughtest to eschew and to flee lechery & avarice by cause that thy vices and sins are contrary to good renomee/ for by lechery men losen their silver and their substance/ men anger god/ and losen their bodies thereof/ Therefore saith galyen that man feebleth and debylyteth more his body by losing of a little of his semence or nature than to lose forty times more of his blood/ For they that usen moche women losen their colour and becomen soon old and feeble of body/ It is red in the life of faders/ of an holy father which had nourished a young child within his hermitage that was within a wood/ but when this child was come to age/ he was often tempted of the sin of lechery/ & of fayte or in deed he would return in to the world for to have married him/ whereof the holy father was greatly wroth/ In so much that by the space of two year/ the said holy father by good exhortation kept the said child fro the world/ but at the end he said to the holy father that he might no more endure/ and that it was force that he should return in to the world/ To whom said the holy father/ Sith thou must return in to it/ thou shalt go and shalt take a wife/ For by marriage thou mayst do thy savement/ but or thou goest hens/ I demaunnde of the a yeft/ that is to weet that thou go first to the fontaygne which thou knowest that is within the forest/ and there thou shalt fast forty days/ praying our lord that he vouchsafe to give to the a good wife/ and of this was the young man well content/ then he took of breed as much as mysteryd unto him/ and after went to the fontaygne/ and when he had fasted there by the space of twenty days/ as he was in orison he began to f●●le and smell such a wonder stench so great and so horrible/ that he might not endure ne suffer it/ & then appeared before him a wonderful and foul woman right old that was scabbed and her nose dropping/ from which came all the said stench/ she salued him saying/ Alas where art thou my dear friend/ I have sought the long/ and never I could find the till now/ alas said she I have loved and desired the more than all the men of the world And then the young man answered unto her/ O right fowl and stinking old filth what demandest thou/ I pray the dearly that thou wilt lie with me/ To that word said the young man/ fie fie/ and spit in her face/ and said god forbid that I have such a love or paramour so full of ordure or filth/ so stinking and so fowl as thou art/ and then he demanded of her what she was and what was her name/ I am said she lechery/ It is now two year passed that I began for to seche thee/ that is to wete when thou were first tempted of lechery/ certainly said the young man if I had known that the sin of lechery had been so fowl and so stinking/ I never should have had will for to return in to the world/ And therefore I promit and make o vow to god that from hens forth I shall keep virginity/ Thenne he returned to the foresaid holy father/ and recounted unto him all that he had seen and heard/ then was the holy hermit much glad and joyous and said to the young man/ if thou hadst fasted and accomplished the forty days/ thou shouldest have well seen and heard other revelations/ & after that the said young man dwelled still in the said hermitage in his virginity Noli tu quedam refferenti credere semper Exigua est tribuenda fides quia multi multa loquntur Thou oughtest not ever to believe that/ that men say and reporten to the ne to add faith to it/ as done many iouglers which tell tidings by sweet words for to deceive thee/ for many say and tell many things which are not true/ for it may not be/ but that in over many words ne been some losings/ Therefore saith Esope that men ought not to believe alweye all the words that men hearen say/ For he is for a fool reputed and holden that believeth the words of a mycheaunte liar/ The encheason and cause that moven the infidels and paynims for to say such words/ is by cause that there been few of crystens/ and yet that more is/ of though that been crystene few shall be saved/ For they only that keep the commandments of god shall be saved/ and that byleven that holy church believeth/ the which arguen thus and say wherefore should god have created so great a number of folk when he knoweth and knew well that they should be dampened/ For there been twice as much more of Infydeles' or paynims than there be of christian/ and of the christian alonely the good shall be saved and say that if so were that they should be dampened with the evil christian/ for one saved there should be a thousand dampened and more/ Item they say that it is marvel/ how god giveth and hath given so much goods and richesses to so great a multitude of people/ when he knoweth & knew well that they been and shall be dampened/ To this error men may answer and say/ that it is no marvel if many been dampened/ to the comparison and regard of them that are saved/ for it is no marvel if justice rendereth and giveth to the synnners that/ that they have deserved/ and of this none ought to be marveled/ for thou seest well that the son rendereth and giveth his light to all the world/ as well to the evil as to the good/ Wherefore none ought to marvel him/ if the misericord of god giveth moche of goods to the good/ ne if the justice of god punisheth tho that are rebel and evil against god/ and for the information of this/ saint austin saith/ that if god would all the evil people should be good/ but he loveth better that they be that/ that they will be/ for if they be good/ this shall not be without merit ne guerdon/ like wise if they be evil and wicked/ it shall not be without punition/ for none may not excuse himself but that he shall do well if he will/ by cause that everyone hath his free arbiter and liberal will for to do well or evil/ The holy scripture saith that god putteth before the man two glazes/ that is to weet life and death/ and which of them that he will have he shall have/ for if he do well he shall have life perdurable or without end/ and if he do evil he shall have eternal death/ wherefore it appeareth clearly that we ought not to believe the arguments of thinfidels/ for they say and maken many arguments/ & they wot not how/ Quod potu peccas ignoscere tu tibi noli Nam nullum crimen vini est sed culpa bibentis tHou oughtest not to blame none if thou sinnest by over moche drinking of wine/ so that thou becomest thereof drunk/ for it is not the fault of the wine/ but of him that overmuch drinketh of it/ For the wine in as much as it is created of god/ it is good by cause that it doth much good/ who taketh it temperately and by measure/ Arystotle saith in his book of secrets/ that the wine taken temperately rendereth the man joyous/ and able in all things that he hath to do/ Consilium archanum tacito commit sodali Corporis auxilium medico commit fideli tHou oughtest to council thyself secretly unto thy lawful friend and fellow of thine affairs or deeds and works/ when thou knowest that he is lawful and secret and when thou hast well approved him/ Like wise thou oughtest not to do medicine thy body/ but of him which is lawful/ trusty and expert in the art of medicine for to medicine thy body/ The prophet saith that men ought to believe his ancient friend and his secret council/ and not the new the which men have not yet approved/ A prophet was once demanded what thing he should/ do the next morrow/ which answered/ if I should tell it to the how shouldest thou keep it secret and not tell it/ when I may not keep it secret but that I must tell it to thee/ Successus dignos noli tu far molest Indulget fortuna malis ut ledere possit tHou oughtest to bear patiently the fortunes unworthy and contrary to the which comen not on the by thy sins and deserts/ For by as much as thou seest that some been better fortuned than thyself art of so much more maketh them fortune to descend & fall a low shamefully/ For fortune nies none other thing/ but nature without reason/ For she spareth sometime the evil/ to th'end that she may hurt and deceive them/ Therefore the evil and wicked folk been often more fortuned of worldly goods than the good folk/ The wise beda saith/ that the good ought not to marvel themself/ for as much that the evil been well fortuned in this world/ For it appertaineth not to the good after the religion christian to be enhanced in temporal goods/ For it behoveth to them to be pour and holden for fowl in this world/ For the evil hath no thing in heaven ne the good on the earth/ Prospice qui veniunt hos casus esse ferendos Nam levius ledit quidquid previdimus ante tHou oughtest often think to the fortunes & case that may fallen to the fro day to day/ to the end that thou be not overtaken by unaduertaunce or unwyttyngly/ for all fortunes and adversities of which thou hast be advised/ hurten ne grieven the not so much/ as they which comen suddenly/ Seneque saith that the wise man ought to think ever in his courage on the fortunes and adventures which may come upon him/ For the wise man saith never I supposed that any such fortune should have comen on me/ Rebus in adversis animum submittere noli Spem retinere spes animum non morte relinquet tHou oughtest not to despair the for the things contrary and adverse that comen and may come to thee/ for thou oughtest for to have and to retain in thyself good and steadfast hope unto the time of thy death/ For every man ought to have good hope when he is in the article of death/ for to live eternally in the glory of paradise/ despair or wanhope is propyce/ and good to the enemy of hell and contrary to all reason/ for the man that dieth in despair shall never have pardon nor remission of his sins/ And thus though that thy works or deeds go not after thy will/ and that fortune be contrary to thee/ thou oughtest not therefore to despair thee/ but to have good hope that god shall give to the enough of goods in time to come/ for though that have no fortune nor none adversities in this world been not beloved of god/ Saint ambrose on a time as he went toward Rome he lodged him with an host/ which was much rich to whom he demanded of his estate/ Which answered that he was much rich and well fortuned/ and that never he had had nonevnfortune nor displeasure/ in this world/ but ever had be in good prosperity of body and of goods/ and that he had lived worshipfully/ and that his goods did increase and multiply daily/ & things come to him at his pleasure/ and then when saint ambrose understood this/ he was much abashed and in great doubt wherefore he anon said to his servants/ let us lightly depart fro hens/ for god is not here/ and by adventure ye might be taken with him in his richesses and sins/ then as they went and were not yet far from the house of the said man/ the earth clave in two and swallowed in the said rich man/ his goods/ his wife/ and all his main/ then saint ambrose turned him and said/ look my brethren how god pardoneth medefully to them to whom he sendeth and giveth adversity in this world/ & how he punisheth cruelly them to whom he giveth none adversity but all prosperity/ and it is said that there is as yet in the same place a pit in mind and remembrance of the said miracle and ensample/ Rem tibi quam noscis aptam dimittere noli Fronte capillata post hec occasio calua est tHou oughtest not to leave the thing which thou knowest of present and for time to come profitable and necessary/ specially when fortune is unto the favourable and good/ and when thou art in good prosperity/ for after this good fortune which thou shouldest leave and forsake/ might come unto the another evil fortune adverse & contrary to thee/ by thencheson of which thou might be despoiled of all thy goods/ wherefore thou shouldest never recover that/ that thou leftest and forsook/ For the common proverb saith/ that men ought never to put at their feet/ that which they hold with their hands/ Lucan/ saith that all delayeng and negligence ought to be set a part/ For negligence letteth ever all things which one may have forthwith if he leave 'em not by negligence/ and saith yet/ that all that thou mayst do this day/ thou oughtest not to abide unto the next morn for to do it/ for when the man is in his good fortune and prosperity/ he acquireth many friends/ Therefore saith the wise man/ when thou shalt be rich and well fortuned thou shalt have many friends/ but when fortune shall be contrary to the thou shalt be left alone/ Quod sequitur specta quod que innuet ante videto Illum imitare deum qui ꝑtem spectat utramque tHou oughtest to think and to take heed to the things present/ passed and to come/ for thou oughtest for to follow him/ that beholdeth both one & other party/ that is to weet the things present/ passed/ and yet to come/ Saint austin saith as in the person of god/ o thou man/ if thou dysplesest & knowest thyself thou shouldest please me/ but by cause that now/ thou wilt not look ne know thyself thou pleasest the & dyspleasest me/ for the time shall come in which thou shalt displease thyself/ and me also/ that is to weet/ when thou shalt be judged of me & of thyself also for thy sins when thou shalt burn in the fire of hell/ Seneques saith that the wise man and prudent aught to dispose and to ordain of three times/ for he ought to ordain of the time present/ and to take heed on the time which is to come/ & to have in his mind the time passed for else he should not go well/ Forcius ut valeas interdum parcior esto Pauca voluptati debentur plura saluti tHou oughtest to be temperate and measured in all things/ to the end that thou be more strong both of body & of soul for to resist the vices & sins/ for a little thing thou oughtest to do for thy delight and pleasure/ that is to weet little drink and little meet/ and to be seld lecherous and avaricious/ by cause that all excess been contrary to the salvation of thy soul/ but thou oughtest to do many things/ for thou oughtest to be ware and to temper thyself of overmuch meet & drink and to flee all worldly desires and to do all things agreeable and pleasant to god/ Seneque saith that by voluptees and excess common four evils/ first by cause that excessys been cause of many sekenessies both of body and of soul/ and at the end followeth death/ The second is by cause that they let and empesshen the man for to do his salvation/ The third is by cause that by excess men forgotten all benefits or good deeds/ The iiij is for they leaden the man in to the pit of hell and to pain eternal or without end/ judicium populi numquam contempseris unus Nam nulli placeas dum vis contempnere multos tHou oughtest not to dispraise the judgement and sentence of many other when they been wise & prudent/ for thou mayst not ne oughtest not to please to some if thou wilt dispraise gainsay and displease many other for if thou gaynsayest & dispreysest every body thou shouldest be holden for a fool/ for he is well presumptuous and cursed of all the world and reputed the most fool of all fools/ that dyspreyseth all men and that will not have petition nor please no body/ but he himself alone will by his overwening return and dispraise the sentence of many wise and prudent men/ Sic tibi praecipue qd primum est cura salutis Tempora ne culpes cum sint tibi causa dolour tHou oughtest first and principally to think upon the cure of the salvation of both thy soul and body for thou art cause of thy sickness and not the time Therefore tho been fools that blamen and reproven the time/ saying that the time is cause of their sickness/ of their fortune/ & of their sin/ Item some say the time is now evil and perilous/ certainly they wot not what they say for no time is evil of himself/ Thevangelist saith seek first the royalme of god & ye shall have all things that are necessary to you & profitable to the salvation of your souls/ Secondly thou oughtest to seek the savement of thy body/ that is that thou be of good rule and temperate in all things Seneque saith that by overmuch meet and overmuch drink comen many sicknesses/ Item the leches say that the mowth that is to say overmuch drink & overmuch meet & making of excess/ sleeth more folk than the sword in battles/ Sompnia ne cures nam mens humana qd optat Dum vigilat sperat per sompnun cernit idipsum tHOu oughtest not to retch ne to think on such dreams that thou dremest ne to add faith nor believe to them/ For thou dremest often and so is thumayn thought inclined to dream sleeping that/ that she shall have desired and coveted waking/ for it seemeth oft/ that one seeth in his sleep that/ that he did see when he waked/ Saint gregory saith that there been four manners of dreams The first cometh by overmuch affection that one hath to the thing that he dreameth of/ and to such dreams none ought to believe ne add faith to them by no manner/ The second is which cometh by cogitation or thinking fantastic and by illusion of the devil/ and such dreams none may not be eschewed/ The third cometh by revelation divine/ and to this dream men oughten to add faith and to believe it/ The fourth cometh by the desire of the thing that men have seen waking/ and of this dream by this present commandment is said that men oughten not to retch of it/ ne to add to it sleythe in no manner of wise/ Incipit liber tercius Hoc quicunque velis carmen cognoscere lector Haec praecepta feres quae sunt gratissima vite if thou wilt flee vices and sins/ thou oughtest for to keep these commandments/ which are of right canon approved and of the holy scripture/ Therefore every person that will have perfit knowledge of the commandments of this book ought to keep & withhold the commandments which he cafter followen/ for they been right agreeable & profitable to all them that will lead good life & flee vices & sins/ wrerfore every man ought to note and retain them in their mind and wit/ Instrue praeceptis animum ne discere cesses Nam sine doctrina vita est quasi mortis ymago THou oughtest not cease to learn and to teach these commandments/ For the man which is without doctrine is like th'image of death/ & therefore if thou keep not the commandments of this book it shall be thy damage/ & not the damage of him that made & composed them & know thou therefore that thou oughtest not to cease of learning unto time thou be perfit in them/ Seneque saith that it is better that the old man learn in his old age/ than to be ignorance of that/ that he oweth to know/ & saith that the man without doctrine resembleth & is likened to an image of death/ for right so as it is prived fro life natural/ semblably the man without doctrine is prived fro all virtues/ and filled of all vices & sins/ therefore none ought not to escuse him to learn that which is necessary for his salvation/ be he old or young or of what somever age he be/ for it is better late than never/ Comoda multa feres sinautem spreveris illud Non me scriptorem sed to neglexeris ipse THou shalt acquire moche of proffytes if thou keep well & retain these commandments/ but if thou dyspreysest them/ there shall thereof come to the man evils/ for if thou keep 'em not well/ that shall not be to me no damage/ that am but writer of them/ but it shall be thine own damage and none other/ Many evils and inconvenients shall fall on the if thou kept not well these commandments/ For first all cursings shall come to the by cause that thou shalt be cursed in fields and possessyon●● and in all goods temporalle and spiritual/ Item fruit begotten of the shall be cursed and of all thy land/ and all thy goods also/ but to the contrary if thou keepest them well all blessings and goods shall come to thee/ and shalt be benewred and praised in the city and in all goods both spiritual and temporal/ and the fruit that shall issue of the shall be blessed/ and also the fruit of thy land and of all thy goods/ Item god shall send to the his treasure of paradise/ that is to weet of heaven/ from which shall descend rain for to bedew the earth/ Cum recte vivas ne cures verba malorum Arbitrij nostri non est qd quisque loquatur THou oughtest not to retch ne to take heed of the words that the evil folk say of thee/ specially when thou livest justly and holily/ For it is not in our liberal arbitre for to pease or to make to be still and to be in peace the evil tongues/ and therefore thou oughtest not to have charge nor to retch of what ever they say of thee/ For they say sooner evil than good/ and sooner they do their damage than thine/ After right canon saith that the evil folk sleeth the good in fourteen manners/ The first is in taking the goods fro the church/ The second in making difficulty to give the benefices and the things ecclesyastyke/ The third is when they take the goods fro their parent's/ that is to weet of their father and mother/ The fourth is when they done some wilful thing whereof cometh harm and evil/ The fifth is when they give nought to the●● that have need/ The uj is when they denyen or forsaken the tithes which they owen to god and to holy church/ The seventh is when they let and vexen their christian brother of will and of deed/ The viii is when they encourage some person to do evil/ The ix is when they seeken and purchasen the loss and the death of young children/ The tenth is when they cut some member/ that is to say when they hurten some of their parent's/ The eleventh is when they take the benefits fro other/ The xii is/ when they do some thing whereof some other may be brought to death/ The xiii is when they haten their christian brother/ The fourteen is when they give council of death/ Productus testis saluo tamen ante pudore Quantuncunque potes celato crimen amici THou oughtest to keep secret the blame and mysde●● of thy friend as much as thou mayst/ that is to weet when he is accused of some case and that thou be called in witness against him/ for to say truth/ but when thou art constrained for to swear/ thou oughtest not to fore swear thyself for his sake/ ne to dishonour and blame thyself/ The wise man saith in this manner/ how be it that Socrates and Platon been my friends/ Nevertheless I love better truth/ than Socrates or Platon/ For over all things thou oughtest to love truth/ Sermons blandos blesosque cavere memento Simplicitas veri fama est fraus ficta loquendi THou oughtest to eschew sweet and friendly 〈◊〉 when they been feigned and deceivable/ As they that speaken sweetly sorrowing and sighing/ but if they be virtuous/ thou oughtest to hold and approve them/ For simpleness having fame or renomee to say ever truth/ is evil/ therefore men oughten to eschew them/ Signiciem fugito quia vitae ignavia fertur Nam cum animus languet consumit inercia corpus THou oughtest to flee and eschew idleness & slothfulness mother of all sins/ empty of all goods & filled of all evil/ For when the courage languyssheth & that it is abandonned to slothfulness it consumeth and destroyeth the body of the person/ Item he that is slothful to do spiritual goods is werste of all/ It is red of a slothful man which reproved an abbot by cause that he set and made his religious or monks for to work/ and said why make ye the goods to be laboured which comen wythouten labour by them that serven and love god/ Therefore said our lord to mary magdalene that she had chosen the best party when her sister martha reproved her/ by cause that she helped her not for to do her business and work/ For she did none other thing/ but pray and here god and to be in contemplation/ then the abbot did do take the said man/ which held himself so devout/ and made him to be shut within a fair oratory and devout/ and said to him sith thou art so spiritual/ that thou mayst live without working/ hold 〈◊〉 is a moche fair book and devout/ in the which thou shalt have contemplation in god here within this oratory/ And then when the hour of none was passed/ he began to be an hungered & harkened & looked over if thabbot would call him to dyner/ and when the time for to sowpe was coming he demanded of the abbot if the brethren had eaten any meet of all that day/ and said that he was sore an hungered Ha ha said the abbot thou sayest that thou art spiritual they that lyven spiritually have no cure ne need of our meats/ For we labourens for to have our living and food/ then he began for to cry mercy to the abbot of ●●hat he had said/ and began for to repent him of it/ Ha said the abbot I see well what thou needest to have/ certainly thou hast mister of mary magdeleyne and of mary marthe that is to say/ that thou must work and do some labour for to get thy living with/ and thou must also have contemplation and pray god for to have the life eternal/ Interpone tuis interdum gaudia curis Vt possis animo quamuis sub ferre laborem THou oughtest sometime to take rest/ solas and joy in thy works/ operations or business or to study or in some other labour/ for if thou be temperate in all thine operations or works thou shalt bear more patiently and more lightly within thy courage and understanding the faytes and the pain of thy labour/ for all things have both their time and place who that can take it/ and thou seest by experience of the bow/ when it is ever bended it is married and spylte/ also like wise the man may not ever be in travail and pain/ Therefore saith arystotle that the men have sometime and oughten for to have corporal or bodily recreation/ as well as labour spiritual or corporalle/ Alterius dictum vel factum ne carpseris unquam Exemplo simili ne te derideat alter THou oughtest not to scorn ne mocque of the faytes or deeds of other/ that is to wete when thou seest some person evil fortunate or accused or judged of some vice/ For by adventure the time shall come that by such a case and example they might mocque and scorn thee/ and men would say/ this fellow mocqued and scorned such one now late of his unfortune and misery/ & now he is fall in to greater unfortune and misery than he which he mocked was in/ for it is said commonly/ that he that mocqueth other shall be mocqued/ & thus none may ne ought not to scorn the deeds of other/ For he knoweth not what thing shall to him befall/ For the sentence is just and reasonable/ that he that mocqueth and scorneth other/ shall be a the end scorned and mocqued/ Quod tibi sors dederit tabulis suprema notato Augendo serva ne sis quam fama loquatur THou oughtest well to note and to write in to thy books/ that is to weet in thy wit and mind/ the first fortunes and good adventures that come to the & to keep and increase them in such manner that thou mayst not have no blame nor repreef by them/ that is to wete that when thou art rich thou oughtest to dispend and give of thy goods by measure/ to th'end that thou be not reputed for avaricious/ ne no niggard/ and also if thou gavest of them to largely thou shouldest mow fall in poverty/ and so every man should mocque with thee/ and of the should men say as the common proverb saith/ The same hath done so moche by his two hands/ that he is come fro the moest unto the lest/ And therefore thou oughtest to keep measure/ and thy goods shall ever increase and multiply fro better to better/ Cum tibi diviciae superant in fine senectae Munificus facito vivas non parcus amicis THou oughtest to be liberal and large at the end of thy days unto thy friend/ and no niggard/ that is to weet when thou hast whereof and that thy richesses are overmuch and more than to thine estate needeth for to be holden/ For thou oughtest to give and to depart some to thy parents and friends/ & to do therewith almesses to the pour members of Ihesu christ/ Saint ambrose saith that if thou givest not meet & drink to him that dieth for hunger if thou hast whereof/ thou thyself sleest and puttest him to death and art cause of his death/ utile consilium dominus ne displice servi Nullius sensum si prodest cotempseris unquam THou oughtest not to dispraise the council of thy servants if it be profitable and utile/ nor also the wit and council of no person/ if it profit to the and is utile for the & for thy fayte/ though that thou be great and mighty lord/ Seneque saith that thou must consider that thy servants be men as thou a●●e/an●● that it is necessary and needful to the for to have servants for to serve thee/ & therefore thou oughtest not to dispraise their council when it is profitable and utile/ but thou oughtest to here and hark them sweetly and to use their counsel when it is profitable and good/ for often they that are humble have greater gift of sapience and been more sages than they that are proud and enhanced and set on the high chair in audience/ Rebus et in sensu si non est quod fuit ante Fac vivas contentus eo qd tempora prebent THou oughtest to be content of that/ that the time giveth to thee/ how be it that thou have not so much of good as thou hadst before/ Therefore thou must refrain and leave some of thine estate/ and to make l●●se expenses/ for if thou wilt hold so great a state as thou was wont for to do/ thou mightest not furnish it without taking and steeling unjustly the other men's good/ and by so thou oughtest to be content of that/ that thou hast of present/ and for to hold thine estate after thy rent and revenue/ and to render graces and thanks to god of all/ notwithstanding that thou hast not so much of rents and of pocessyons as thou was wont to have/ or of merchandises if thou be a merchant/ For the goods of this world been variable/ now one is rich/ and now pour/ Socrates saith/ that there was a man that complained unto him by cause that he was pour/ which demanded of him counsel what thing he should do/ To whom Socrates answer●●d If the goods that thou hast be not suffysaunte for thine estate and for thy living/ do and govern thyself by such manner that thou be suffysing to thy goods/ and so shalt thou be content of thine estate/ Do thou as job said/ god gaf●● it to me/ and god hath taken it fro me/ god be thanked of all/ For thus it hath pleased to him/ and thus he hath it done/ Therefore every one ought to be content of that/ that god giveth to him/ Pxorem fuge ne ducas sub nomine dotis Nec retinere velis si ceperit esse molesta THou oughtest not to take a wife ne to covet her for her dowayr/ for her richesse ne for her noblesse/ but thou oughtest to cheese and take her for her virtues & good conditions/ and for cause of her good worshipful & honest lineage or kindred/ and specially when she hath a good mother/ For the daughters followen oft the condy●●on●● & manners of the moders/ but when thou art wedded if ●●y adventure she doth to the some molest or grief/ that is to say if she be an harlot or an aduoultrere/ thou oughtest to flee fro her and to put her out fro thy fellowship/ & know thou after right canon and civil that thou ne oughtest for to leave and put her fro the but only for adultery/ For know thou that it is the sovereign gift of god for to have a good and lawful wife/ Multorum disce exemplo quae facta sequaris Quae fugias vita nobis est aliena magistra THou oughtest to learn by ensample of many wise men what business thou oughtest to do/ First thou oughtest to flee & t'eschew that/ that they have eschewed and fled/ for the life of the other strangers which have preceded us must be rule and mistress of all our deeds and governements/ that is to say that thou oughtest to consider how many are come to great worship and perfection for to have ruled and governed them wisely/ and how many are comen to great misery by their evil leading and governance/ and by cause that the faytes or deeds of this world been variable and dyffycyle for to know thou oughtest for to think and to think again many times to that/ that thou wilt do/ and how of like case is betaken to the ancient wise men and by so/ thou shalt mow know of light that that is profitable or chargeable/ Cum tibi vel socium/ vel fidum queris amicum Non tibi fortuna hominis sed vita petenda est THou oughtest not to demand the fortune of man/ but his life/ that is to say that when thou wilt aquyre and have a good friend and a lawful fellow thou oughtest not to demand of his fortune/ that is to weet if he be rich noble or puissant/ but oughtest to demand if he be of good living wise and prudent/ for by science & wisdom men may recyste to the falaces & deceptions of fortune/ by cause that/ that fortune giveth to the of long time she taketh it again fro the within a short space of time/ but science or cunning lasteth and endureth unto the time of death/ for none may take it from thee/ The phylosophre saith that there been four manners of persons which keep not true love/ the first is the cruel man and evil/ For he ne demandeth but hate falsehood and strife/ The second i●● the ancient man/ by cause that he doubteth lest he should be deceived/ the third is the child/ for for an apple one loseth his love/ The fourth is the common woman/ for who that giveth to her moste shall have her love/ but very & true love endureth ever both in adversity & in prosperity betwixt two good and lawful friends/ Quod potes id tempta operis ne pondere pressu●● Succumbat labor et frustra temptata relinquas THou oughtest to prove & assay if thou art strong enough/ and virtuous for to accomplish and to do that/ that thou purposest for to do/ or that/ that thou hast begun for to do/ and how thou oughtest to lead it to good end/ to the end that thy labour/ that is to weet ●●hat/ which thou shalt have begun for to do be not to the over grievous/ and that thou bow not under it/ for thou shouldest leave all that thou hadst begun/ wherefore every man should mocque thee/ for it is greater worship for to keep himself fro the beginning of the things which may not be performed ne brought to an end/ than for to begin them and after to leave them imperfect/ Esope saith that he that weeneth to mow and know more than his faculty and nature requireth/ all his fayte or deed is nought/ by cause that all remaineth imperfect/ Quod nosci factum non recte noli silere Ne videare malos imitare velle tacendo THou oughtest not to hold thy peace of that/ that thou knowest injustly done and without reason/ for if thou knowest some thing against the law/ or against thee common weal/ or against one particular men/ 〈◊〉 else against many/ thou oughtest to recite and manyfesten it// for if thou keep it secretly/ men should mow say that thou were partner and assenting to the fayte or deed/ & should seem that thou shouldest love more unjustice than justice in as much that thou shouldest hide the vices of thevyl folk & should spare to chastise them & to recyten their misdeeds & wickednessesses/ I say not but that thou mayst admonest them by fair words or thou recite or tell their sins & misdeeds/ Saint austin saith suppose thou not that it be evil done to rehearse and to judge the sins of other/ by cause that if thou shouldest hide them/ thou shouldest do were by the half/ and shouldest be cause of their damnation & losing both of body and soul/ judicis auxilium sub iniqua lege rogato Ipse etenim leges cupiunt ut iure regantur THou oughtest to require help of the judge when the law is to sharp & over rigorous/ that is to weet that when thou art accused of some case particular and that the law is to rigorous against thee/ or when men will do to the unjustice/ thou oughtest to require and beseech humbly the help of the judge/ for the laws will & requiren that they be governed and interpreted ever to the best party for him that hath wrong/ Item also the judge may modere of his office the laws when they been over rigorous/ for it is better that the judge be reproved to be overmuch myserycordyons or merciful/ than to be over cruel and rigorous/ Nevertheless the laws that are approved by right canon been good & true/ notwithstanding that they seemen to be untrue to him which is condemned by them/ Item also every good judge of his office may modere them a little/ Quod merito pateris patienter far memento Cumque zeus tibi sis ipsum te judice dampna THou oughtest to suffer & bear patiently the pain that thou hast deserved/ and to the which by good right and justice thou art condemned/ For sith that thou knowest thyself guilty/ thou oughtest to be thine own judge and to condemn thyself/ Boece saith that the evil & wicked folk ought to go & to present them before their judges of their own gree and will and to require humbly punition of their vices & sins/ For it is better that the malefactor judge himself than that another should judge him/ and this is that the apostle saith/ If we be judges of ourself we shall not be judged of Ihesu christ/ as did the sons of Israhel/ which said That/ that we suffren/ we suffer it justly/ For we have sinned against our brother/ Multa legas facito perlectis perlege multa Nam miranda canunt sed non credenda poetae THou oughtest to read and study many things/ and withhold the good and flee the evil/ for it is good and profitable to know both good and e●●yl/ but thou oughtest not to believe all that thou shalt read/ by cause that the poets and many other say and rehercen many fables and things marvelous/ And for this cause none ought for to be curious of the lore and doctrine of these poets the which are full of fables and losings/ Valere saith that by especial the young children ought to flee the doctrine of the poets/ by cause that they believe of light all that they hearen or seen/ and therefore thou oughtest to study of all sciences & to withholden in thy mind the good & flee the evil/ Inter convivas fac sis sermone modestus Ne dicare loquax dum vis urbanus haberi THou oughtest to be temperate in words and to keep thyself fro overmuch talking at the table among them that eaten and drinken/ for thou oughtest to be temperate in speech/ to the end that they say not that thou art a liar & a tidings maker/ specially when thou wilt be holden and reputed for humble courteous & gracious/ of this thou hast experience of the labourers rustycal/ when they been at a tavenne they make so great noise that none may endure by them/ for to have sooner done often they speak all together in such manner that they wot not what they sayen/ ne what the other say that are with them/ The wise man saith that none ought to strive against his friend when he eateth or drinketh/ ne to blame him when he is joyous and merry/ Therefore every man ought to keep himself fro overmuch talking as they eaten and drinken/ For thou oughtest to speak to the point when it is time Coniugis irate noli tu verba timere Nam lacrimis struit infidias dum femina plorat THou oughtest not to doubt the words of thy wife when she is wroth with thee/ for the women been of such condition that the more that they show them wroth & full of weepings and sighings/ so moche more strongly they enforce & enuertuen them for to deceive the and to take the in their grins/ & this they done when they see that by their weepings sighings & words they may not overcome their husbands/ The woman ought to be subgett●● to the man/ & therefore thou oughtest not to doubt her for none thing that she doth or saith/ Saint crisostom saith that one may chastise his wife in two manners/ first in praying her swetety/ & showing to her/ her fault by sweet words/ Secondly when she will not be chastised ne amend herself by sweet words/ thou oughtest to smite & chastise her with a good staff/ but alwayees thou oughtest to keep thyself fro the subtilties & deceptions of thy wife when she is evil and a shrew/ for the holy scripture saith that there ne is heed so evil ne so perilous as the heed of a serpent/ ne there nies so evil ire/ as the ire of a woman/ for she is right bold & hardy for to do that she thinketh/ & right subtle for to let some when she will/ for when she is wroth she dare say & do that/ that a man durst not do ne think it/ for it is the most wonderful & marvelous be'st that is living when she is wroothe/ & the most cruel/ & of other part she is the most sweet be'st that is living and most piteous when she is good & withouten wrath/ we readen that a woman by cause that her husband bet●● her/ bethought h●●/ that she should give ●●o him a drink/ of the which he wexed and became drunk/ and as out of his wit/ and as she thought and purposed it/ she did and performed it/ then when she had given to him this drink he became a fool in so much that he wist not what he did/ then she embraced him 〈◊〉 him upon his bed/ and after she ran unto a mynste●●/●●hyche was nigh by/ and began for to call and cry as she had be all mad saying/ Alas for gods love come to succour me and to help my power husband which dieth and hath as of now lost his speech/ alas when he was in his good health he ne demanded of god other thing/ but that he might become a monk/ and I of the other part have vowed chasty●●e and yet I vow it of present/ I will not let ne empesche his savement/ alas said she come ye lightly and put on him thabbyte of religion/ to th'end that he accomplish his avow and that he die religious/ then the monks came thither and made him a great crown/ and after they put on him thabbyce of religion in the best wise that they could/ For he could not speak nor know no person living/ And then when the morn came that his drunkship & frenzy was passed/ he beheld himself and was all abashed when he found himself in a monks habit/ ne who had put it on him/ ne made him so great a crown/ then his wife said to him alas my right dear husband whereof 〈◊〉 basshed/ are you not remembered how yesternight ye were made a monk when ye were in your great frenzy/ ye know well that it is long a go sith ye made your avow unto God to become a monk/ Therefore I have sent for the monks which have ordained you unto a monk/ and to th'end that I ne let nor empesh your vow & your savement I have promised and vowed to god chastity/ in such manner that I must be all alone pour and as lost in this world/ Of these words was sore abashed the pour husband/ and said to her that he knew no thing of that she said/ ne that he had no will for to be a monk/ and would have taken away thabbyte fro him/ alas said his wife how are ye so hardy and so bold to put your habit away fro you & to kreke your vow ye will damn both me and you also/ For I will well that ye know that never ye ne shall have fellowship with me/ for ye are a very monk/ and god forbid that I lie with any monk/ and also ye know well that if ye leave your habit all the world shall mocque and wonder upon you/ and every one should say that ye were a postate/ and all the world should flee and void your fellowship/ by cause that ye were cursed/ So moche and so long she preached him that by her wit and fair words he entered in to the order and religion/ and gave in her all his goods/ Ptete quesitis opibus sed ne videaris abuti Qui sua consumunt cum deest aliena sequntur THou oughtest to dispend thy goods by measure with out making of excess/ to th'end that men sayen not that thou abusest them/ also over niggard thou oughtest not to be/ But thou oughtest to keep the middle way For thou oughtest not to be neither overlarge ne over scarce by cause that when the goods fayllen many evils oft followen thereof/ and therefore every man ought to keep him fro consuming and dyspending of his goods foolishly/ many evils may come by poverty and by dyspendynges of goods without measure/ first the spiritual goods been therefore dispraised/ and of the saints of paradise they setten not by/ Secondly they are vergoynous and shameful to demand the breed of god that men give for his sake/ Thirdly by poverty they done many sins/ as is theft murder & many other/ Fac tibi proponas mortem non esse timendam Que bona si non est tamen finis illa malorum THou oughtest not to doubt the death for the pains that followen/ that is to weet that thou must do so 〈…〉 in this world that thou doubtest not the death/ for though she be not good/ that is to weet that she is not reputed for good/ Nevertheless she is the end of all evils & miseries of this world/ Semblably men may say that the death is good as well for the evil folk as for the good/ for by the death the evil folk leave their continuance & making of sins/ therefore is death good to them & profitable/ But she is better to the good folk as the psalmist saith/ Which saith that the death of saints is right good and right precious/ Vxoris linguam si frugi est ferre memento Nam malum est non velle pati ne posse tacere THou oughtest to bear & to suffer debonayrlye the words of thy wife/ when they are profitable for the or for other/ for it is against right and reason to keep no peace/ but always though thy Wyf be accustomed for to lie/ when she saith true thou oughtest to escuse her benygnelye/ and when she speaketh evil/ thou oughtest to chastise her swetelye and to say to her friendly that she should keep h●●r peace/ The phylosophre saith/ that not withstanding that the council of women be reputed of no value/ nevertheless when she saith her opinion and giveth her council forthwith without to think tofore thereon/ that she ought to say/ men find it often good & profitable and of great utility/ Dilige non egra caros pietate parentes Nec matrem offendas dum vis bonus esse parenti THou oughtest to love thy father & thy mother by good & true love Without any feigning/ for it is great abusion to anger his mother when he will be good & be beloved of his father/ for he that shall do evil to his father or to his mother/ in th'end it shall mishap to him & he shall die pour & unhappy/ The gospel saith that if thou wilt lyu●● long on earth thou must honour and love both thy father & mother/ or else it may be so exposed/ Thou oughtest not to anger thy mother/ that is to weet holy church when thou Wilt be good and be beloved of thy father/ that is to weet god thy creator which is father of all/ Item it is one of the pryncypal commandments of our law/ that is to weet thou shalt worship god thy creator/ thy father & thy mother/ after the first commandment that saith that thou oughtest to believe & love one only god/ Incipit liber quartus Securam quicunque cupis deducere vitam Nec vicijs haerere animum quae moribus obsunt tHOu oughtest to covet & desire overall to lead good life and sure in this world and to keep thyself fro falling in to sin/ For thou oughtest of all thy might to flee all vices and sins which are contrary unto good conditions and cause of the damnation & losing of both body & soul/ for/ for no thing none ought not to leave him to be surmounted or overcomen of sins/ Haec precepta feresque sunt relegenda memento invenies aliquid quod te vitare magistro tHou oughtest to set & to have in thy mind the commandments beforesaid which thou oughtest oft to read/ for if thou considerest well the foresaid commandments & them that followen hereafter thou shalt find in them some things that shall be to the good & profitable for the governance as well of thy soul as of thy body/ and what thing thou oughtest to do & follow/ and which thing thou must flee & eschew/ for in the place there as vice & sin reigneth & hath domination/ virtue may not abide in no manner/ by cause that they be contrary/ Despice divicias si vis animo esse beatus Quas qui suscipiunt mendicant semper avari tHou oughtest to dispraise the richesses of this world if thou wilt be well happy & live surely for to acquire the glory of paradise which is eternal/ For they that have most of it/ been ever more pour and more avaricious than the other/ Therefore saith the gospel/ if thou wilt be perfit & welhappy in this world/ go thou & sell all that thou hast in this world & give it for god's sake to the pour members of christ/ Saint austin saith that the avaricious may never have no suffisance/ for the more that he hath the more he will have/ & he is never assured/ for he dreadeth ever/ Saint austin saith that the avaricious doubten the four elements/ first they doubt the water/ to th'end that it drown not their merchandises/ Item they doubten the fire/ left that it bren their houses & possessions/ thirdly they doubten th'earth/ to th'end that their fruits perish not four they doubten the wind/ to th'end that by winds & rain they be not let ne impeached for to go and do their merchandises/ Item they doubten all persons/ lest that they should steel their goods/ but though that haten the richesses doubten no thing safe only god their creator/ Commoda nature nullo tibi tempora deerunt Si contentus eo fueris quod postulat usus tHou oughtest to be content of the goods & profits that nature & usance of time giveth to thee/ for if thou be content & haste suffisance/ the goods and profits of nature shall never fail to thee/ for thou oughtest not to require nor demand of god/ but that which is utile and profitable to the for to sustain nature human Boece saith that nature is contented of little/ Therefore we ought to desire & demand first of god the goods spiritual/ For he that hath the spiritual goods ought to have hope & to believe steadfastly that he shall have enough of temporal goods/ For it is seen seld/ the just to decay ne to have need in such manner/ but that he hath ever good enough for to feed and sustain his life natural/ Come sis incautus nec rem racione gubernes Noli fortunam que non est dicere cecam tHou oughtest not to say that fortune is blind which is no thing/ but by cause that thou art a fool & evil governest & rewlest thee/ for fortune is not blind though the poets say & feign her to be blind/ but as the wise man saith thou oughtest to have in thy mind poverty in time of abundance/ that is to weet when thou art full & rich/ thou oughtest to keep & spare some goods for the time yet to come/ Boece de consolation saith that fortune is no thing/ but that as the people comyne imagine & supposen/ for fortune is no thing else/ but only imagination & fantasy/ & therefore When thou mysrew●●est thyself/ thou oughtest not to say ne to call fortune blind nor evil/ for she is no thing but imagination and foolish believe/ Diglie denarium sed parce dilige formam Quam nemo sanctus nec honestus captat habere tHou oughtest to love the money only for the feeding & sustaining of thy life/ that is to weet moderately & for to have & buy that which is necessary for thy corporal life/ for no holy man nor just ought not to demand but only that/ that is needful & necessary for his substance & corporalle life/ & not to do as these usurers which assemblen & gatheren these great treasures whereof they make their gods & their idols/ for they trust more in their golnde & silver than in god their maker/ For as saith the scripture avarice is none other thing but services & worshippings of idols/ We readen of an avaricious man which had moche gold & silver/ Which on a day took his treasure and laid it in the mids of his chamber upon a fair cloth/ and called to him his wife and his son and showed to them his treasure/ and after he made them to go out of the chamber and shut the door/ but yis son held him without at the door & looked thorough a little hole in to the chamber/ & saw that his father kneeled before his treasure & worshipped it/ saying ye be mine hope my glory & all my reffuge/ for I ne demand nor require help nor succour of none other god than of you/ the which man saying these words laid him down all along on his treasure/ and among all the pieces of gold he saw one which was fair and bright/ to whom he said/ thou art much fair/ I suppose & believe that thou art much good for to eat/ the which took & put it in his mouth and eat it/ & yet again he saw another piece of gold which was greater & fairer than tother beforesaid/ & he took & eat it as he did the other/ Item he saw another yet greater than any of them both beforesaid & more fairer/ which he supposed to have swallowed as he did the other/ but by cause that it was over large & thick it choked him/ & after was his soul put & buried in hell/ & was found deed upon his 〈◊〉 as a be'st/ without fault thus shall it happen to all them which loven their treasure more than god their creator/ and more than their bodies & fowls/ Cum fuetis locuples corpus curare memento eager dives habet nummos sed non habet seipsum tHou oughtest to medicine & do to be medecyned thy body when thou art rich & mighty for to keep thy body in good health/ for the rich man hath his richesses & his silver to his will when it pleaseth him/ but he hath not his body ne his health nor himself at his will/ We have ensample of a rich man which had liefer for to lose one of his eyen/ than for to give a floryn to a physician for to help him/ & of tother part it is found that many one would rather die/ than they should give one penny for the health of their bodies for to medicine them/ & this is that the wise man saith/ if thou art evil & contrary to thine own self how shalt thou be good toward the other strangers/ therefore it appeareth clearly that the avaricious haven no charge ne retchen not of themself/ though they have many of worldly richesses/ Verbera cum tuleris discens aliquando magistri Fer patris imperium cum verbis exit in iram tHou oughtest to bear & to suffer patiently the correction or chastising of thy master if thou wilt learn well/ semblably when thy father is angry thou oughtest to hold thy peace & to answer humbly & to do his commandments/ for by thy sweet words and meek answer/ thou shalt pease his ire/ For the common proverb saith/ that sweet word refraineth great ire/ & thus if thou hast sometime suffered the betings of thy master when thou didst learn/ semblably & more strong reason oughtest to suffer & to bear/ the words of thy father when he is wroth/ The phylosophre saith that there been three persons to the which we may not render ne yield the goods that they have done to us/ first to god which hath given to us our being and soul reasonable and wit/ the which we oughten to love & to doubt by cause that he hath made & created us when we were not Item he hath bought us again when we were lost/ And hath given to us wit and understanding/ for to discern the good from the evil/ Secondly to the master that learned and taught the science and doctrine/ For for all the treasure in the world me●● should not mow buy neither wisdom ne science/ Thirdly to thy father & to thy mother which have given unto the thy being/ & all thine hole members natural/ who were he that should mow buy one eye or one hand/ who should be he that should mow buy science/ ne who should be he that should mow save that but only god thy creator/ all the treasure of the world should not do it/ & therefore none should not mow render or yield the weal that these three persons beforesaid have done unto us/ Res age que profunt rursus vitare memento Inquibus error inest nec spes est certa laboris tHou oughtest to do things profitable and utile and to flee them that are unutyle/ contrary & with out profit/ For it is folly for to do thing that profiteth nought to the ne to other/ ne of which men have no hope of some profit/ in time present/ ne for to come/ Item it ne sufficeth not for to do all only the things which been to the profitable/ but also to the other/ Quod donare potes gratis concede roganti Nam recte fecisse bonis in part lucrosum est tHou oughtest soon to give to him that demandeth & requireth of the if thou hast whereof & mayst do it after thy faculty & might/ and oughtest for to give things well acquired and gotten of thine own/ For of no things evil gotten none may not lycytly give/ our to do any alms/ & if thou givest justly of thy goods thou shalt be partner to the winning & profit/ & shall be rewarded of it before god thy creator in the other world/ & also peradventure in this world/ There been some simple folk that weenen that it is well done for to rob a rich usurer for to give to the pour people/ certainly such thought is wicked and devylly/ and they do not Well thereof/ For though they given all that they robben of the rich yet done they more sins/ than alms/ as witnesseth right canon and the holy scripture/ Therefore every man ought for to give of his own and proper good justly and lawfully gotten/ Quod tibi suspectum confestim discute quid sid Namque solent primo que sunt neglecta nocere tHou oughtest soon to dyscute & inquire the truth of the things doubtous & suspicious in all the works & deeds which thou wilt do and begin/ for thou oughtest for to know of it the certainty or thou procedest any ferther/ and oughtest for to see & look what thereof may follow/ For often the things of which men doubten not of/ and of which they have no charge ne retchen not for to know the truth nor to what end it may come/ been sometime right grievable & dommages/ and comen thereof many inconvenients/ to the which if men had purveyed in time had not mow grown ne borne no damage/ Therefore saith the common proverb that evil advised hath oft pain/ Cum te detineat veneris dampnosa voluptas Indulgere gule noli que ventris amica est tHou oughtest to be sober of meet and drink if thou wilt flee the sin ot lechery/ specially when thou art inclined and abandonned unto the said sin for the mouth is beloved of the belly/ wherefore thou oughtest for to keep thy mouth from overmuch wines & meets so that it be not cause of thy sin/ For when thou art inclined to the said sin/ thou oughtest to fast & to imagine all the ways & manners whereby thou shalt best mow chastise thy flesh fro evil desires lecherous/ whereof comen many evils Come tibi preponas animalia cancta timere unum precipne hominem plus esse timendum tHou oughtest to dread the man more than any other be'st living/ though thou hast purposed in thy wit for to doubt all the other beasts/ to th'end that they do not to the no harm/ yet always thou oughtest to doubt more the man than any other be'st/ by cause that the man is made and form to the image and semblance of god/ and also by cause that in to the service of man been made & created all beasts/ Item by cause that the man hath within himself more of science subtlety and cautel than any other be'st/ Saint austin saith that god created first the man racyonel/ to th'end that he should understand the sovereign weal that god his creator had done to him and given/ & also that he should serve and love him With all his heart and thought so that he might come to the perdurable glory of paradise/ Cum tibi preualide fuerint in corpore vires Fac sapias animo si tu poteris vir fortis haberi tHou oughtest to learn and acquire science/ sith god hath given to the wit and understanding to do it/ For if thou hast wisdom and sapience within thee/ thou shalt be reputed and holden for strong and for worthy and valiant/ Therefore saith solomon that wisdom and sapience been more worth and more profitable than the force and valiance corporell/ For the man prudente and wise is better worth than the man strong anth valiant of his members/ and therefore thou oughtest for to learn science for to temper and to modere the might corporal/ Auxilium a notis petito si forte laboras Nec quisquam melior medicus quam fidus amicus tHou oughtest to demand council and help of thy friends when thou art fall in to some fortune or need/ to the end that they comfort and council the in thy misery & fortune/ for there nies no better a medicine than the good & faithful friend/ for as the medicine is utile and profitable for to he'll all sicknesses/ thus a good friend is good and utile for to help and comfort his friend in his fortune and tribulation/ and there nies no thing that men oughten to hate so moche ne to have in anger and ire/ than him that is enemy when he feigneth and showeth sign and token to be friend/ For they oughten better to love a very friend than gold or silver or other worldly goods/ It is found in the scriptures three manners of divers friends/ first sum been the worldly friends/ by cause that they love the vanities and iniquities of this world/ The second been the friends of the devil/ for such friends loven but for to do evil/ The third been the friends of god/ by cause that they love god and obseruen & keep his commandments/ Cum sis ipse nocens moritur cur victima pro te Stulticia est in morte alterius sperare salutem tHou oughtest not to make sarefice unto god of dumb beasts/ ne to have hope in the de●●he of them/ as had thancient which made sacrifice to god of dumb beasts/ For they had in this all their faith and believe/ certainly it is greater folly for to have hope of salvation for the love of some creature than all only in the death of Ihesu christ thy redemptor/ For no sinner ought not to suppose for to have pardon nor remission of his sins by other death/ than only by the death and blessed passion of Ihesu christ/ It is red in the holy scripture that the ancients erred foolishly & hadden a foolish opinion/ For they slew divers beasts of the which they made sacrifice to god/ and believed that by the death of beasts god gave to them pardon/ & thou oughtest to know that such foolish ceremonies that the ancients made been put now down & set at nought by the new law of our redemptor Ihesu christ and by the death and passion of Ihesu christ been put and brought to nought all such errors/ by cause that the very faith and believe c●●me forth in the coming of our Lord Ihesu christ/ Vtere quefitis opibus sed fuge nomen avari Quid tibi diuicie prosunt si pauper habundas tHou oughtest to dispend thy goods by such manner that men sayen not that thou art a niggard and avaricious/ that is to weet in doing almesses/ and with them with whom it is expedient for to dispend and to give/ What should avail to the a great treasure or a garette full of wheat or a celer full of wine/ if it were so that neither to thyself nor to none other thou shouldest not take nor give some what thereof/ certainly all this should avail the no thing/ but should be letting and chargeable both to thy soul and to thy body/ and shouldest be thereof blamed and dispraised of the world/ For every man should say that thou were a nygard●● and that thou shouldest die pourely beside or nigh thy goods/ Saint Iherome saith cursed be all though which lyven only/ to th'end that they may gather and assemble worldly richesses which are so soon passed/ and that are so transitory and of so little value/ and by the which they l●●se the richesses if great value and eternal without end/ Si famam servare cupis dum vivis honestam Hac fugias animo que sunt mala gaudia vite if thou wilt have & keep good fame or renomee in this world/ thou oughtest to flee all vices & sins for the evil joys & worldly pleasures been oft cause and mater●● of evil renomee/ and in th'end of damnation perpetual/ The wise man saith that the good renomee and good praising is better than all the richesses and tresoures' of this world/ by cause that the good and famous name endureth longer than the richesses/ Dum sapias animo noli irridere senectam Nam quocumque sene sensus puerilis in illo est tHou oughtest not to mocque & scorn old age/ that is to weet the old & ancient folk/ though thou be wise/ & that god hath given to the wit & understanding for to rule & govern the wisely/ for thou shouldest be therefore blamed of all men that have wit & understanding For as job saith sapience cometh & groweth in man within short time/ but prudence cometh by ●●nge space of time and prolongeth thexperience of the wise m●●n/ In every old man is sapience/ but by some accidents & wantynges of nature th'ancient retournen and becomen as children been in their youth/ and every old man hath commonly the manners and countenances of a child/ therefore men ought not to mocque them/ but ough●●en to suffer patiently their fawtes & their simpleness/ for thou must consider that without any fault thou must come to such estate or else to die in thine young age/ Disce aliquid nam cum subito fortuna recedit Ars remanet vitamque hominis non deserit unquam tHou oughtest to learn some craft or some science for t'eschew fortune which suddenly departeth and goeth fro thee/ but thy craft or cunning shall never leave the unto the time of death/ but if by fortune thou losest thy worldly goods/ by thy craft or cunning thou mightest recover & get 'em again/ but if thou hadst neither cunning nor craft at all/ and fortune were to the contrary thou shouldest abide pour & mysheaunte and mightest fall in to many inconvenients and perils both of body and of soul/ It is said in a common proverb/ that craft is better/ than the sparhawke/ Item craft and science eschewen great Inbygence/ and taken the man from great misery & danger/ Prospicito cuncta tacitus qd quisque loquatu●● Sermo hominum mores celat et judicat idem tHou oughtest to hold thy peace & ●●o be moderate/ & to look & hark what every man shall say/ and to note & set it in thine understanding/ for by the words of the folk thou shalt mow understand & know their cunning & prudence/ & their fol●●e●●e mavayste/ ●●or of abundance of the heart the mow●●e speaketh & saith what the heart thinketh Therefore saith the gospel/ Ha thou evil man I judge and condemn the by thy mouth and by thy words/ for comynlye every person saith & speaketh as he thinketh/ The good person saith never but well/ & the evil & wicked saith ever evil/ and therefore by the words of the folk men known their conditions whether they be good or avyl/ Excerce studium quamuis percepe●●is a●●tem Vt cura ingenium fit et manus adiwat usum tHou oughtest to excercyce & follow the study though that thou have the art & science of many things/ for right so as all crafts which is used daily rendereth & maketh the hand able & ready for to exercise & do lightly the said craft/ In like wise by oft studying & to haunt the study & the clerks/ men able them in what somever science that it be/ & they acquyrens the usage of all arts & sciences for to use & study them often/ For it is much better to have the art or the experience of some science or craft/ than to have the science without experyeence or use/ what should avail to the thy science or thy craft if thou canst not use & help thyself therewith/ and thou oughtest to study in such manner & so long that thou mayst get and acquire the experience & use of the cunning or craft of the which thou purposest for to help thyself/ Multum venturi ne cures tempora fati Ne mortem metuit qui scit contempnere vitam tHou oughtest not to have cure ne retch for ●●enquyre of thy fortune ne when thou shouldest have it/ nor of many other things of which enquyrens many simple folk/ that will know the secrets of god/ for none may know such things/ but by divine revelation/ For he that can dispraise this life mortal and do good works/ and to keep the commandments of god/ doubteth not the death/ & he giveth not force nor retcheth not for to know his fortune/ ne when he shall die/ For he setteth all in god his creator which knoweth all things/ The wise man saith that the natural death is none other thing/ but the coming out of a prison/ for to come in to the house/ Item the death is end of all exiling and banishing/ for to come in to franchise and at liberty/ Item death is consummation and end of all pain & labour for to come to rest of life/ Item she is eschewing of all evil/ for to have all goods/ Item death is despoyling & alegeaunce of a right great & heavy far●●el/ that is to weet of our flesh/ Item death natural is none other thing/ but way and cunning for to go & return in to his land/ that is to wete in to the glory of paradise/ & therefore none ought to doubt the death natural when he is of good living/ and that he keepeth the commandments of god his creator and maker/ but of the death eternal is all the contrary/ for every man ought to doubt it above all things/ Disce sed a doctis indoctos ipse doceto Propagada est etenim rerum doctrina bonarum How oughtest to take & learn thy science and thy government of the wise men/ & after thou oughtest to teach to the ygnorauntes good conditions and good doctrines/ that is to weet how they ought for to rule and govern them/ and how be it that it is good for to learn of every man/ Nevertheless the science & doctrine of wise men is more profitable & better than of other/ & therefore when thou hast learned well and hast had good council of the wise men/ after this thou oughtest for to learn & teach the ignorant/ he teacheth and learneth himself when he teacheth & endoctryneth the other/ by cause that no science ne none arte or craft may not endure long withouten use and excercyce/ that is to weet without it be used and occupied oft-times For use and practic maken the sciences and crafts for to grow and endure/ The phylosophre saith that there been two things which are of no profit/ that is to weet the treasure which is closed and hid in th'earth/ and the cunning which is enclosed & shut within man/ without to be used practyked communyked and taught to the other/ Hoc bibe qd possis si tu vis vivere sanus Morbi causa mali namque est quecunque voluptas tHou oughtest to drink the wine in manner that thou be not hurt therewith/ for thou must take of it but as much as sufficeth to thy complexion if thou wilt live in health both of body & soul/ for dronkshyp and all superfluity of wine been cause of lechery & of many evils & sicknesses and also of many strives and dissensions/ He that taketh the wine by measure & temperately profiteth to him moche & to him doth moche good/ first it causeth good colour natural/ Item it causeth good digestion/ Item it keepeth the meet within the body fro coruption/ Item it boylleth the meet within the stomach & purefyeth & leadeth it by all the members of the body/ till it be converted & turned in to pure/ clean and subtle blood/ Item it maketh the heart joyful/ Item it comforteth & openeth the wit & understanding of the person/ Item it maketh man to speak well & hardly/ and causeth good appetite in all things/ Laudaris quodcunque palam quodcunque probaris Hoc vide ne rurfus levitatis crimine dampnes tHou oughtest never to blame ne diffame what somever person the which thou shalt have praised and approved openly to be good & just/ Ne also other thing what somever it be/ For it were sign or token of inconstance/ & yet again thou mightest be reproved of the crime & blame to be to light & Inconstaunte/ & every man should say that thou shouldest bow with all winds/ that is to say/ that in the should not be steadfastness ne no trust/ and by so thou shouldest be defiled & dispraised of all persons/ we readen of four philosophers which disputed and argued togethers of thinconstance & mutability of the things/ The first said that the most Inconstaunte and most mutable thing in this world was the woman/ The second said that it was the wind/ The third said that it was the light/ the fourth said that it was the man's heart/ and this last opinion was approved and found true/ To this purpoos saith saint gregory that there nies thing so mutable as is the heart and thought of the man/ Tranquillis rebus quo sunt adversa caveto Rebus in adversis melius sperare memento tHou oughtest to eschew and flee the contrary things when thou art in good prosperity and in good fortune/ and to consider how men have great pain for to get and acquire the goods/ and great displeasure and melancholy to lose them/ and yet again if by adventure thou comest fro prosperity in to adversity/ thou oughtest for to have hope that thou shalt have better in time yet to come and more of goods than ever thou hadst/ for the goods and evils comen suddenly/ The poets feign that the goddess Syrces said that she was daughter of the son/ and by her they understood the prosperity of this world/ and sayen that on a day ulyxes being upon the see saw the palace fro far of the goddess Syrces'/ but this goddess had such prosperity and propyrtee that she turned the folk in to such form as she would/ then the said ulyxes sent some of his fellows in to the said palace of Syrces for to buy meet and such things as they needed/ but when the goddess saw them she made semblant to receive them joyously & to make 'em good cheer/ the which made soon the tables to be laid and covered and gave to them both meet & drink/ and as soon as they had drunken of the drink that she gafe unto them/ they were turned in to the figure of suynes/ then when ulixes saw that his fellows came not again/ he go forth unto the palace for to speak with the goddess/ and demanded of her where his fellows were become which he had sent unto her for to have had such things as they needed/ but without answer the said Syrces presented to him the cup for to drink the which drink ulyxes refused/ and so he was kept fro the figure and form of a swine/ and did so moche by fair words that the said goddess took him to her husband/ And therefore she made his fellows to become men again as they were before/ and when the said ulixes had dwelled a year with the said goddess/ he & his fellowship returned in to his country & left the goddess sirces great with child/ the which child that named thelagonus/ the which afterward by ignorance slew his father ulyxes/ To speak morally/ by this goddess thou must understand the prosperity of this world which is like the see/ And by the fellows of the said ulyxes which were turned in to swines thou oughtest to understand them that come to the prosperity of this world/ the which assoon as they have drunken of the delyces of this world/ been turned and figured in to the form of swines/ that is to say that by their vices and sins they lose the use and knowledge of reason and understanding/ and becomen as swines or other dumb beasts/ But when ulyxes cometh/ that is to weet the wise man and prudent he keepeth himself well fro drinking of the delyces of this world/ And thus he may well be married with the said goddess/ that is to weet with the prosperity of this world/ and that more is/ they that are turned in to swines that is to weet they that have lost reason/ the which man by sweet words and ensamples maketh 'em to return in to Reason that is to weet in to their first figure/ Discere ne cesses cara sapiencia crescit Rara datur longo prudencia temporis ufu THou oughtest not to cease fro learning/ though that thou be of hard wit/ For by continuation and to study strongly/ thou shalt mow acquire great cunning and prudence/ For men have but little science and prudence if it come not by long usance and long continuation/ For it is impossible for to acquire science and prudence/ ne none other art ne craft within little time/ For it is of need/ that such sciences and arts comen by long continuation/ Therefore said a wise Senator of Rome that if he had one foot in his grave/ yet would he ever learn/ as he would say/ that all science is gotten and acquysyte by continuation and long use Parcè laudato nunquam tu sepe probaris una dies qualis fuerit monstrabit amicus THou oughtest to praise thy friends by measure unto the time that thou hast approved them/ that is to wete/ unto the time/ that thou hast true experience that they been thy friends/ and by especialle that thou hast approved them in peril of death/ For men known wh●●●e ●●ey are in peril of death/ he that is a true friend/ Therefore ●●ou oughtest by measure and temperately to praise thy friend/ For the day shall come/ that he which thou hast praised shall show if he be thy friend or not/ And if he be such/ as thou had dost supposed/ The signs or toknes of very love been showed in four manners/ first by words/ for when the person hath the heart full of hertelysshe love/ the mouth then speaketh abundantly and affectuelly/ For it is said commonly/ that by th'abundance of the heart/ the mouth speaketh Secondly men know true love by yefts and the same token is greater than the first/ For many one helmpeth other by words that should not help of his goods/ Thirdly one knoweth his friend by the service that he doth with his person/ And the same is yet greater than any of the both tokens before said/ For many men shall help other both of their words and goods/ that would not serve of their person/ as jacob died/ which served fourteen year for his friend Rachel/ Fourthly men known their friend in adversity and paryll of death/ And the same sign or token is greater/ than any of the other before said/ For they may not find greater token of love/ For many one should habondonne their persons in the service of their friend/ that would not put their bodies in ●●o the peril of death/ For none may show greater charity/ than to put in peril of death his body and his soul for his friend/ As died a Senator of Rome called papinia/ of which recounteth Valere in his book/ For right so as men proveth the gold in the fornays/ Right so they prove their friend in adversity/ For many one be founden which are only friends at the table/ that is to say at dinner and souper/ and not in adversity/ Ne pudeat que nescieris te velle doceri Scire aliquid laus est pudor est nil discere velle THou oughtest not for to have shame ne vergoyn if an other teacheth the that thou canst not/ Care thou not of whom thou lernest/ but that thou mayst know/ for it is greater honour and praising and right gre●●e profit for to con some thing/ And by the contrary/ is great dishonour and right great damage to know no thing/ ne to will ought learn/ It were great folly to a man servant and in the danger of all the world/ if he had liefer to be prisoner and in servitude all the days of his life/ than to demand grace and misericord and freedom/ certainly it were great folly/ thou wost well/ that science is fountain of all goods/ And Ignorance is fountain and mother of all evils Come venere et bacho lis est et juncta voluptas Quod justum est animo complectere sed fuge lights THou oughtest to flee dronkeship and lechery and all her voluptuosites/ For by dronkeship & lechery comen many and infinite evils and inconuenients/ by cause that there as reigneth dronkeship and lechery/ may never be good peace ne concord/ For there as dronkeship and lechery regnen/ been none other/ but voluptuosytees strives and debates/ Therefore thou must flee dronkeship and lechery/ and be sober in meats and drinks/ and in all things that might trouble thine understanding and courage/ And thus thou shalt eschew all strives and debates/ and all evil voluptuosytees/ And also all evil and carnal desires/ And know thou that the work man that is drunk of custom shall never be rich ne puissant/ The wise man saith/ that by win and by women comen many evils and inconuenyents/ first by win cometh lechery/ strife and debate murder theft & many other infinite evils/ Item by a woman cometh idolatry/ as thou hast ensample of Solomon/ which adored the idols for the love of a woman/ Item by women have be many wise men brought unto folly/ as was Arystotle that suffered him to be riden of a woman/ And to have the bridle in his mouth as he had be a horse/ Item by women many have been deceived and beguiled many/ as virgil that was hanged by a woman at a window within the city of Rome/ the which woman promised to him for to have drawn him up in to her chamber/ but when he was half upward/ fro the ground unto her chamber she left him there so hanging unto the morrow next/ in so much that every man might see him who so would Dimissos animo tacitos vitare memento Quo flumen est placidum forsan latet alcior unda THou oughtest to flee them that speaken but little and soberly/ that is to say though that speaken simply/ feigning thypocrisy/ For such folk been full of malice and of falsehood/ as thou seest that the flood which is still and runneth not is often more deep and more perilous/ than that same which runneth strongly/ Tullius saith in his book that men oughten to doubt more them that speaken little and simply as maidens and hypocrites than them that speaken boldly and soon/ and that say clearly all that they think and have in their hearts without making of any fyctions/ ne hypocrisy/ Cum tibi displiceat rerum fortuna tuarum Alterius specta quo sis discrimine peior THou oughtest not to take to dysplaysyr the loss and fortune of thy goods/ and if by adventure thou hast displeasance of the fortune of thy goods consider & look well & thou shalt find/ that many one that are better than thyself art/ have nothing/ and that demaunden their breed for god's sake/ Item thou shalt find and master know daily/ that many that are just and of good life/ and better than thou art lose oft all their goods by fortune/ and comen unto great misery and poverty/ And therefore if thou consider & look well on all these things/ thou shalt have patience of the loss and Infortune of thy goods/ Therefore saith Right that it is joy and solace to the pour meschaunts and infortunate for to have felauship/ Quod potes id tempta nam litus carpere remis Tucius est multo quam velum tendere in altum THou oughtest to proune and to assay thyself for to do that thou mayst do/ and to abide and lead it to good end and perfection/ For when thou he●●ynnest and enterprysest for to do some thing/ thou oughtest to look the begining/ the middle/ and the end/ that is to weet that when thou enterprysest for to do any thing/ it is more sure for to hold the middle way/ and common estate after thy might and puissance/ than for to enhance thyself so hyhe/ that thou must descend or fall down/ For it is great honour to be enhanced upward/ but it is great dishonour to descend/ and to be cast downward/ Item thou oughtest not for to begin a thing that thou mayst not bring to an end/ For it is great vergoyne and shame for to leave a thing unparfyghte/ It is said commonly/ that who overladyth himself/ shall not bear far his farthel/ Therefore been they well happy/ that go and holden the middle weigh/ For who that enhanceth himself more than he ought/ he shall fall down from hyher than h●● ne would/ And therefore it is more sure for to lead his ship with oores unto the rivage/ than for to have up his sail and go and lead it in to the hyhe 〈◊〉/ ●●hat is to say/ that it is more sure to lead the middle stat●●/ than for to row in to the hyhe see/ being in peril to be drowned Contra hominem justum praue contendere noli Semper etenim deus iniustas ulatur iras THou oughtest not to strive/ ne to take debate against the man just and Innocent/ for our lord punisheth ever the ire and wraths unjust/ specially/ when they are done unjustly/ and without cause against the just and Innocents/ And it is that the holy scripture saith/ Nevertheless when the Just and Innocent been injuried and molested undewly and without cause/ they aught to have patience and to pardon and forgive all the men that have done or said wrong to them/ As did our lord which forgaf to them/ that crucified/ and put him unto death unjustly and without cause/ Ereptis opibus noli merere dolendo Sed gaude pocius si te contingat habere THou oughtest not to weep ne to discomfort the when thou losest the richesses and temporal goods of this world/ but thou oughtest to be joyful thereof having desire and good will for to acquire and get other goods in time to come/ For the richesses of this world been not our own/ but owen to fortune/ by cause that they been out of us/ and all at adventure/ saint Ambrose saith/ that we have no thing of our own/ but that we bear with us/ It is red of a man/ which was much discomforted and sorrowful by cause that be had lost his son and his silver/ the which demanded council of a wise philosopher for to weet what he should do/ then the philosopher said/ weep no more of that thou hast lost thy son/ but be joyful and glad of that our lord hath given to the a son/ & that thou haste lost him/ Item to this that thou sayst that thou hast lost thy silver/ of this thou oughtest not to weep/ ne to have malencolye/ For weet thou for truth/ that thy Silver hath lost many one/ And by adventure/ if thou hadst not lost it/ it had lost thee/ therefore care thou not of nothing/ all is subject to fortune/ therefore think for to win and get now good and to engender and make now children/ Est iactu●●a g●●auis que sunt amittere dampnis Sunt quedam que ferre decet pacienter amicum THou oughtest to suffer more for thy Friend/ than for any other thing earthly/ that is to say/ though it is grievous thing to lose his goods/ nevertheless it is greater damage/ and that men oughten more to doubt of the loss of their lawfulle and true friend/ than for to lose all the goods and richesses of this world/ For one may well recover the loss of his goods/ but he may not recover the death of his good Friend/ And notwithstanding/ that it grieveth one moche for to lose his good/ which he hath acquired/ and won with great pain and travail/ Nevertheless thou oughtest for to bear and suffer more for thy lawful friend/ than for the richesses of this world/ which are transitory/ and so soon lost/ Alle wise men and virtuous owen 〈◊〉 suffer four things for her virtuous frend●●/ first be oweth to suffer death/ and be prived of life corporal/ Secon●●ly privation of all worldly goods/ Thirdly privation of all dignities and offices/ And four privation of virtues/ Tempora longa tibi noli promittere vite Quocunque ingrederis sequitur mors corporis umbran THou oughtest not to promit to thy life/ that thou shalt live long/ that is to say/ that thou shalt not suppose ne promit to thy life/ that thou shalt live long/ ne to have hope of long living/ For thou oughtest to wete/ that thou haste no morrow/ And that the death is nigh to thee/ And that none may nought length his life/ And in what somever place/ that thou ghost/ the death followeth thee/ as doth the shadow of thy body which followeth the where somever thou go/ The death and the life are as two rennars/ which rennen strongly one against the other/ the which fynden and meet soon both together/ For as soon as the man is borne/ he runneth naturally and demandeth the death/ For it is nature/ by cause that for to die he is come in to this world/ Thure deum placa vitulum five crescat aratro Ne credas placare deum dum cede le●●atur THou oughtest to pease god with incense and by good works and by good orations and prayers/ and leave the calf for to grow and to draw the pl●●ugh/ For thou oughtest not to suppose for to pease god by slaughter of beasts as men dydle in th'ancient law of Moses'/ For how be it that it was commanded that in the law of Moses for to make sacrifice of beasts/ ¶ Nevertheless this commandment was but figure and mystery of the new testament/ by which/ be to us forboden and deffended such sacrifices/ For in the new testament we have commandment for to sacrify to with encens which is odoryfyrous and of sweet smelling/ and for to pray god devoutly by humble and devout orations and prayers/ Cede locum lesus fortune cede potenti Ledere qui potuit aliquando prodesse valebit THou oughtest to give place to fortune/ and to thy better also/ For if fortune is of present contrary unto thee/ she shall mow help/ and to be profitable unto the in time to come/ Item if a greater than thyself vexeth or troubleth the of present or now/ he shall mow help the in time coming/ therefore thou oughtest to have patience & to bear patiently all fortune/ for thou oughtest to bow with all winds that is for to say/ that thou must have patience/ as well in adversity as in prosperity/ And of this thou hast experience by the copwebbe/ which breaketh often/ by cause that he may not be bowed/ ne humble against the winds/ as doth the reed/ which boweth on all sides as the wind bloweth hit/ Cumcquid peccaris castiga teipse subinde Vulnera dum sanas dolor est medicina doloris THou oughtest to chastise the by thy own self of thy own sin/ that is to weet by true confession/ For so as as a sore or an evil is medicine and health of another sore or evil/ Right so penitence he●●h th●●/ that is to say/ when thou takest and receivest hi●● 〈◊〉 good heart/ And that thou hast good and true contrition and repentance/ And when thou hast acoomplysshed the penitence which the priest hath given to thee/ ¶ For saint gregory saith/ that better it is/ for to suffer some little pain in this mortal life/ than for to suffer in the other world pain and torment eternal/ Intollerabile and without end/ ¶ Our saviour Ihesu christ punisheth some folk in this world for five causes/ ¶ The first is/ to th'end/ that by their punition/ the just may have the greater merit/ as it appyereth by job/ and by Thobye/ which were right just/ And nevertheless they have been sore and grievously punished in this world/ ¶ The Second is/ to the end/ that the virtue be kept and deffended fro the sin of pride/ As it appyereth by saint paul/ which was colaphysed/ and beat by the angel Sathanas/ ¶ The thyrdde is to th'end that they chastise themself of their sins/ As it appyereth by mary sister unto Moses'/ which was long time Leper/ to th'end/ that she should chastise her self of her sins/ ¶ The fourth is to th'end that the glory & might of god may be manifested/ as it appie●●ed by the child which was borne as blind/ Of the which saint johan speaketh in this manner/ This child/ neither his parents have not sinned/ wherefore he ought to have be borne blind/ but he was borne all blind to the end/ that the works/ that is to weet/ the Miracles and the glory of our lord be manifested and showed on him/ ¶ The fifth is that the beginning of pain and of tribulation be continued perpetuelly in them/ as it appeareth by Herodes and by the Zodomytes that are/ and shall ever be perpetuelly in to the pains of hell with the dampened/ Dampnaris numquam post longum tempus amicum Nutavit mores sed pignora prima memento THou oughtest not of light to depart and leave thy friend/ that is to weet/ whom thou hast had by long space of time a good friend/ And if he by any manner hath misdone against thee/ thou oughtest not soon to depart therefore fro his friend ship/ though that th'offence by him commised against the be grievous and right strange And notwithstanding that he hath turned his conditions and greatly misdone against thee/ Nevertheless thou must yet remember within thyself the old love and the first friend ship that thou hast had in time passed with him/ For he may yet torn and change his evil conditions in to good conditions/ ¶ The scripture saith that he that is sometime a good friend and not continually/ shall not be true friend for to succour the in thy tribulation/ when thou shalt have need of him/ Gracior officijs quo fis mage carior esto Ne nomen subeas qd dicitur officiperdi Thou oughtest to be sweet/ gracious and humble in thine office or in thy service without to be proud to them/ the which shall have somewhat to do with thee/ and that shall do to the service and pleasure/ to th'end that thou be not reputed for unkind/ proud or mysknowing the good and service which they have done to thee/ ¶ Item also to th'end that they say not that the name which is called office lost is their own name/ that is to say/ that the service which they have done to the is l●●ste/ ¶ Item also to th'end/ that thou lesest not the office in the which thou art instituted by thy pride and unkindness For thou oughtest ever to be good and courteous and to have mind and knowledge of the goods and services/ that other have done do thee/ Suspectus caveas ne fis miser omnibus horis Nam timidis et suspectis aptissima mors est THou oughtest not to be doubtous ne suspicious in what somever manner that it be/ For he that is suspicionus/ that is to weet when he trusteth no body he is meschant/ And ever he shall be reputed for meschant and miserable/ And he shall never have peace ne rest neither of body ne of conscience in this world/ wherefore it appeareth that the death were more covenable to the doubtuous and suspicions than the life/ For better it were to them for to die than to live long in such pain and misery/ ¶ But when thou art just/ lawful/ and of good life/ thou oughtest not to doubt neither old nor young/ poor ne rich/ ne noble ne vylayne/ neither death nor life/ but thou oughtest to live having no doubt/ but only of god/ ¶ Seneque saith in his book of the remedies of fortune that dread or fere cometh to the man and saith to him/ Thou shalt die/ surety answered and saith/ Death is to man thing natural and not pain/ by cause he is come in to this world for to die and to return in to the other world from whence he cometh/ For the life of this world nies none other/ but a pilgrimage/ For when the man hath gone enough fro one side to another/ He must rotorne there wheroute he came first/ ¶ Item fere saith/ thou shalt die/ And surety answereth/ if I die/ I shall not be the first/ ne the last/ For many one died before me/ And all though that shall come after me shall die also/ For this rule is general without any exception ¶ Item as soon dieth young as old/ ¶ Item fere saith/ Men sayen evil of thee/ surety answereth/ if I were guilty/ I should be ferefulle/ specially/ if it were said in judgement And that men might prove in judgement that it were as they say of me/ Cum servos fueris proprios mercatus in usus Et famulos dicas homines tamen esse memento THou oughtest to traicte and to hold thine own servants sweetly/ the Which thou hast chosen for to do for the service/ For though that they be servants/ thou oughtest to have in thy mind that they been men as thou art/ For thou oughtest to know/ that at the beginning of this world nature and franchise were both like & egalle to all men/ Therefore saith Seneque/ He that is now lord and great master/ the time shall mow come by fortune that he shall become a servant/ by cause that the honours and fortunes of this world are soon turned/ therefore none ought to have trust in them/ ¶ Item Seneque saith/ that thou oughtest to live with thy servants and to repute and hold them for thy friends and thy servants/ For how be it that they be servants/ Nevertheless they be men as thou art/ ¶ It is said commonly that there is no little friend/ nor none little enemy/ ¶ It is red of a man which had three friends/ And the first he loved more than he did his own self The second he loved as much as he died himself/ And the thyrdde he loved less than he did himself/ ¶ It happened that this man had great need of his friends and for to have help and socours he go toward his first Friend/ which he loved more than his own self/ to whom he exposed his case and need/ and said to him/ Ye wot well/ that I love you more than I do mine own person/ I require and pray you/ that ye will now help me at my great need/ The which answered to him/ Man I wot not well what thou art/ I have many other friends which most be festyed of me this day/ Nevertheless said he/ here been two sheets for to cover thee/ which I give to thee/ then the good man as all concluded go toward the second friend/ which he loved as much as his own self/ to whom he exposed his case as he did to the first friend and demaun●●ed of him comfort and help/ The which answered to him in this manner/ Fair and sweet friend/ I have now other thing for to do/ than for to help thee/ ne for to council the of thy faytte/ but nevertheless I shall hold the company unto the gate/ And after I shall return to my house/ for to do and go about my business/ then the good man woeful/ and as desperate went toward his third friend/ which he loved less than himself/ to whom he exposed and told his need as he had done to the other two before said/ saying/ Alas I have no mouth/ that ought to speak to thee/ For I have not loved the so moche as I should have done/ but nevertheless I require and pray the that thou ne wilt fail me now at my need/ For I am relynqued and forsaken of all my friends safe of thee/ The whi●●che third friend answered to him joyously and said/ Certainly I hold and repute the for my lawful friend/ For I shall gladly go with the for to speak with the king/ and shall pray him for thee/ and for thy faytte/ to th'end that he condemn the not and deliver the in to the hands of thine enemies/ ¶ Moraly to speak/ By the first friend thou oughtest to understand the richesses of this world/ the which men love more than their own self/ but when they be cited before the king/ that is to weet/ before god of paradies/ they bear with them of all their richesses/ but only two little sheets/ By the second friend thou must understand thy wife/ thy Children and thine other parents/ for as soon as they have accompanied their father unto the gate/ that is to weet unto his grave/ and that he is buried in the earth/ soon after they return to their houses for to go about their business/ and for to depart and deal their faders goods/ which is deed/ By the third friend thou oughtest to vnd●●rstand●● faith/ hope/ charity/ almesses/ and all good deeds which one hath done in his life/ the which gone before us/ when we are cited before the king of paradies for to keep and defend us fro our enemies/ that is to weet from the pains of hell/ when the soul sh●●lle depart out of our bodies/ By this History appyeret●● clere●●/ that he which is true friend/ loveth ever as well in time of adversities as of prosperity/ And how we bear nothing out of this world/ safe only 〈…〉 and ●●uylle de●●s that we did during our ly●●/〈…〉 ●●how and look for to do ever well/ and treat thy servants/ like as thou wouldest be treated of them/ if thou were in such case as they be/ For how be it that by cause of fortune some be servants and in servitude/ Nevertheless we are all brethren in Ihesu christ/ And they be men as thyself art/ Quam primum capienda tibi est occasio prima Ne rursus queras que iam neglexeris ante ●●Hou oughtese to take the first and good adventures that happen and comen to thee/ that is to wete the first good fortunes that thou knowest to the profitable and necessary/ to th'end that afterward thou ne demandest nor ask not that which thou mightest have had without any request nor demand/ and without danger/ therefore saith the proverb that one ought not to set and put at his feet that which he holdeth in his hands/ That is to weet that the thing which thou mayst have the day which is utile & profitable to thee/ thou oughtest not tabyde unto the next day for to take it/ For by adventure that which thou mayst have to day without danger/ if thou abidest unto the next day/ thou shalt not have it at thy pleasure and without danger/ wherefore it ensieweth that none ought to be slouful and negligent for to labour and work for his body and for his soul both when it is time/ For thou must do as the Ant doth/ which maketh his purveyance in the summer for to ly●●e in time to ●●ome in the winter/ Morte repentina noli gaudere malorum Felices obeunt quorum sine crimine vita est THou oughtest not to have joy of the sudden death of evil folk/ that is to we●●e of the pour sinners/ but oughtest to have thereof displaysyr and woe/ For it befalleth oft/ that as well the good folk as the evil and wicked folk dyen suddenly/ For the judgement and sentences of Ihesu Cryst been diverses/ Therefore well happy are they/ which dyen in the faith of Ihesu Cryst our redemptor/ There been five causes/ why men ought to have dysplaysyre and woe for the death of wicked folk/ The first is by cause that they be perpetuelly dampened/ if they die in sin mortal or deadly/ The second is for the great shame/ that they take of their death before all the world/ The third cause that they be prived fro the vision of god their creator/ The fourth is/ the cruel pain and passion that they suffren at their d●●th/ The fifth is for the horrible image or figure that they 〈◊〉 after their death/ For they be like unto that horrible bees●● of the which speaketh th'apocalypse in the fourteenth chapter/ For five causes principal men oughten to have joy of the death of the good and just folk/ the first is by cause/ that after the death corporal they regnen and comen in to the glori●● of paradies/ the second is by cause that they have fairer houses and greater place for to dwell in/ the third is by cause/ that they have better meats for to eat/ the fourth is by cause/ that they have g●●etter light for to see/ the fifth is/ by cause/ that they have more better air for to smell/ These five goods acqueren the just and good folk after their death/ when they be in the glory of paradise Cum coniunx tibi sit/ nec res & fama laborat Vitandum ducas inimicum nomen amici THou oughtest to flee and eschew all hate and melancholy of thy wife/ that is to say when thou hast a fair wife/ And that thou hast not well/ wherewith to sustain her estate/ ner wherewith to govern her/ keep and ●●ke well/ that none deceive thee/ for oft many one shall make semblant to be thy good friend for love of thy wife/ though that they be thine enemies/ And they shall find the manner for to give evil praising to thy wife and to take her worship fro her/ therefore thou oughtest for to repute & hold such folk for traitors/ and not to give to them the name to be thy friends/ For enymytee and hat●● are contrary to friendship and concord/ And if by adventure it happened that men spoke evil by thy wife and of thy friend/ and that it were not so/ And thou ne supposest ne believest in thy conscience that it he so/ though that overalle be renomee that it is so/ thou oughtest for to add greater faith to the truth of this that thou knowest/ than to the renomee that is given to thy wife or to thy friend/ For it happeth oft-times/ that the folk blamen and speaken evil by some persons which thing is not true/ and sometime it is truth/ And thus both the one and the other of the causes afore may befallen and be true/ Cum tibi contingerit studio cognoscere multa Fac discas multa vita nesare doceri Thou oughtest not to be proud for thy great cunning and science/ that is to weet/ if it happened/ that thou have learned by thy diligence and to have well studied many of arts and sciences/ thou oughtest not for to be the more proud thereof/ Ne yet to cease of learning/ ne for to have shame for to be taught/ and to learn of him which is less than thyself art/ For thou oughtest to suppose that thou woste little to the regard of other/ For there is none so wise a man/ but that he findeth yet some for to learn/ Therefore saith the proverb that one may not all know/ nor one may not have all/ For none is parfyghte in no science/ Miraris verbis nudis me scribere versus Hec brevitas sensus fecit coniungere binos THou oughtest not to be marveled if this little book containeth two sentences in two verses/ For that have I do principally for two causes/ first for to eschew prolyxyte/ and long words/ For if I had written many verses/ the sentence had be so great/ so dark and obscure/ that uneath my wit had mow comprehend conceive/ ne expone it/ And therefore I have made this little book in double verses/ the which conteynen two short and utyle sentences for the simple folk/ Also by cause that this day many one been glad to see or here short words or sentences/ The second cause why I have done and made this little book in two verses is by cause that the doctrine and government both of the body and of the soul is contained in it/ For which thing men may intytule this little book the mirror of the regyme & government of the body and of the soul/ ¶ Here finisheth this present book which is said or called Cathon translated out of french in to english by William Caxton in th'abbey of Westmynstre the year of our lord MCCCClxxxiij/ And the first year of the reign of king Richard the third the twenty-three day of december