THE CLOSET of counsels, containing The advice of diuers wise Philosophers, touching sundry moral matters, in Poesies, Preceptes, proverbs, and Parrables, translated, and collected out of diuers authors, into Englishe Uerse: by Edmond Eluiden Gent.  
whereunto is annexed a pithy and pleasant description of the abuses: and vanities of the worlde. 1569.  
imprinted at London in Fleetstreat, at the sign of Saint John evangelist, by Thomas Colwell▪   

To his nephew william Busher, Edmond Eluiden wisheth wealth, health, peace, and prosperity.  
BEing diversly moved and motioned to further my diligence and travell as some acquittal for your curtesyes, and yet despairing of my power( gentle nephew) I haue finyshed this endeavour, which hath seemed to me a meet gift & requisite reward, though not in sufficient ability: yet considering your disposition, able enough to satisfy your expectation. And for because I 'pon dered the oblivion of mortal memory and vngratefulnesse of nature in such things as notwithstanding be to his proper commodity, I haue renewed herein, and haue set before your eyes such necessary precepts of living & rules of wise experience as you haue red and perused before time: to the end that by more perusing you may print the same in your heart, that it also may bear fruits in your life, and weighing well you may perceive that no knowledge is so requisite or needful as moral philosophy, which not onely disseuereth the nature of man from beastly brutish kind, & bewtifies & adorns the sense and ratefies the life: but also teacheth & instructeth to avoid inconvenience & mischief, & leadeth the soul to the favour of God. wherefore finding this most meet for you and easiest for me to attain, I haue ben bold to offer you this same, as a token of my well wishing: Supposing me not needful for to crave your patience, because I am assured of your gentleness.  
Your friend and kinsman Edmond Eluiden.   

To the Reader.  
HOwe requisite & necessary instructions bee, both in divine things & matters moral, I refer it to thy iudgement( gentle reader) the which want or rather the negligence used of all estates in the slack imitatinge of the abundance of good lessons & counsels both privately and openly published in this our country, hath caused me to use this my simplo pain and endeavour to set before thy sight most needful lessons, iustructions, and counsels, of the wise philosophers, which be no less profitable then necessary to such as would willingly learn, and by learning prosecure the honest acts and decent endeavours which pertain to virtuous living: & be cause I know that there hath been in more ample and larger wise by more learned men instructions and lessons here to fore set forth, I crave thy courtesy to respect of my well meaning rather then of my ability, the which I find unapt in all things to the which my good will extendeth, & notwithstanding though by right I must aclowledge my work barbarous, rude & vnpollished, yet I dare presume to say that it is necessary: not for the want or lack of good instructions the which I know to be plenteously dispersed, but for the oblivious weakness of mortal nature & memo ry, the which is so feeble that it can not haue too much renewance of his duties, but rather requireth to be continually put in remembrance of the same, & this is the cause which hath imboldeued me to translate these worthy say ings of the wise into verse, whereby thou mightest be the sooner moved to peruse them, as also the more effectually & readily to print thē in thy thought, wherein I crave thy gentle patience, and if ought be amiss it shalbe reformed.  
Farewell. E. E.   

¶ The Closet of counsels.  

¶ Of forecaste.  
AL inconvenience that may grow, 
Pontanus.  or harms that may ensue:  
Ofdyuers happs, the good forecaste of wisdom may eschew.   

¶ Of Labour.  
No man is strong, but he whose force, can labour well subdue:  
And he is weak whose heart is faint 
Marcus aureli.  his travell to pursue:  
And in such labour rest appears, most pleasant for to bee:  
For rest is medsyne to the soars, which labours haue we see.   

¶ Of rest.  
each thing by nature hath a time 
ovid.  for to receive his rest,  
And nature each thing void therof doth seem for to detest?   

¶ Of towns or realms.  
It is the wealth of every town, of province, realm, or place: 
Zenophon.   
That virtue rather more abound then people, in such case.   

¶ Of the Common wealth:  
The common wealth should rather bee preferred unto famed,  
Then the material cyttye buylte for to enlarge his name 
Alex se ue●… us.   
For each mans life more precious is and virtue of more price  
Then either ston or timber work or any such deuyce   

¶ Of The honor of a reamle.  
The perfect honor of a realm or beauty of a town. 
Iesussy rach.   
Consysts not in the building but, by virtue reaps renown.   

¶ Of praise and disprasye.  
The wicked praise can not aduaunse nor infamy defame  
The good, for nether doth desarue 
Cicero.  the having of the same.   

¶ Of Suffisanse.  
Unto the rich more richer is suffysanse then more wealth  
Or substanse for it doth pretend, 
Plato.  aboundanse of his health,  
As fickell fortune may give cause to the to ●… ke thy foo.  
So may thy enemy rejoice whilst thou arte wrapped in woe.   

¶ Of offences.  
When little faults escape vnspyde prevented not in time: 
Aristot:   
Of them doth spring huge hurt at last and cause of greater crime.   

¶ Of beloved things.  
With daynger much and peril great that thing is kept with pain, 
Seneca.   
Which many men desire to haue or crave for to retain.   

¶ Of a custom.  
It is as dyfficulte a thing a custom or a use,  
To break, as nature for to chaynge 
Aristot:  or alter by abuse.   

¶ Of Corrupt rulers.  
A poison and corruption it is to subiects most, 
Iesussy rach.   
To haue a ruler which corrupt corruptlye rules the roast.   

¶ Of Honore.  
The man great honore doth dezarue whom fortune doth abate.  
Without desert suppressinge down his floryshynge estate,  
And he of shane demands a parte 
Marcus aureli.  whom fate hath set a loft,  
Without just cause, yclad in silk or set on pyllowe soft.   

¶ Of practise.  
Those things which use hath overcome or practise, pleasant seem,  
To such as use the same although 
Plat●….  them painful other deem.   

¶ Of friendship.  
Of all things, earthly globe contains the newest is the beste  
Except of friends, the which accept 
Seneca.  the neweste for the least.   

Of disdain.  
As the devouring fire consumes the fyerbrande with rage  
disdain doth friendship waste, & love, 
Hermes.  by fumynge doth assuage.   

¶ Of Measure.  
That man most valiant is whose state doth not provoke his heart  
To joy, or sorrow over much, 
Seneca.  but use an equal parte.  
The runner running everich 
Plato.  shall weariness attain  
And by his swiftness purchase harm, while he doth gape for gain.   

¶ Of an old Lecherer.  
A Lecherous lover being old 
Marcus aure●…  is like a youthful swine,  
Which hath a white head, & his tail of green, exceeding fine.   

¶ Of benefits.  
The man that findeth benefyts 
Plato.  in fetters lyethe bound  
till he repay his debts, and than he riseth from the ground:  
Yet is it custom to receive with mirth, as doth appear 
Marcus aure.   
But to forg●… with evil will, and with repentant cheer.   

¶ Of pride.  
As lyberalytye causeth friends and hatred doth remove,  
So pride alureth many foes, 
Socrate▪  But clean exyleth love.   

¶ Of Wrath.  
Of feebleness of courage and of scarsytie of wit,  
Doth wrath proceed an vglye vice 
Hermes.  a filthy and vnfytt.   

¶ Of lust.  
He many myschyfes doth obey that doth obey his lust, 
Hermes   
For none more wauryng bee then such or Daungerous to trust.   

¶ Of Repentaunse.  
Repentaunse pardon craves as dew to him and his by right,  
And pardon is a patient thing 
Plato.  For giving all dispyte.   

¶ Of gentleness.  
The sweet effect of gentleness doth purchase mere goodwill 
Alex se uerus.   
And fervent love his quallytyes such proffittes do dystyll.   

¶ Of courage.  
It is a sign of courage great and of a mighty blood, 
ovid.   
Lyttyll to care for mighty things regarding well the good.   

¶ Of the lawe.  
Nature the fruitful fountain is from whence good lawe doth spring.  
And that is natural for man 
Cicero.  to fly each fruictles thing.   

¶ Of worldlyenes.  
As by continual labour strength of body doth decay,  
whereby the body perisheth and nature wears away 
ovid.   
even so the mind of man oppreste with pensyfe worldly cares,  
Doth lose his love and lust to god which heavenly wealth appares.   

¶ Of solitariness.  
A sollitarye man doth seem a god or else a beast, 
Claudia   
As one that knoweth much or else as one that knoweth least.   

¶ Of patience.  
A patient man or sober man shall nere repent in heart, 
Marcus aure.   
Nor do the deeds, which by his hast shall turn unto his smart.   

¶ Of women.  
Ther are in weomans eyes two tears the one of grete dysecite, 
Pitthago ras.   
The other of grief, and both do lay a wily subtle beyte.   

¶ Of the tongue.  
A fools tongue is his counsels key for nothing it can hide,  
But wisdom keeps the wise manes 
Socrates  tongue not suffering it to slide.   

¶ Of Measure.  
In all things measure is most meet excess doth hurt to much. 
Claudia   
Or else at least doth profytt nought his qualytyes are such.   

¶ Of Bryberye.  
Both faith & truth & friendship fails and manners bee defylde, 
Zenoph:   
Where brybrye used is, and there all justice is exylde.   

¶ Of a Flatterer.  
As a Kamelion colloures hath of every sort, save white:  
even so a Sycophant hath skill 
Hermes  of every point save right.   

¶ Of Sudayne chances.  
Though sudden 'haps or chances fallen provoke new thoughts in hast 
Hermes   
Yet by such chance proceds a cause in time of lesser waste.   

¶ Of The contented state? &c.  
Some men are rich which nothing 
Sallamon●…  haue And some again are poor  
Which haue great riches thus the least haue most, and most, least store   

¶ Of many words.  
Where pensyfe care or trouble is there many dreams remain: 
Iesussy rach.   
So where as words abound, thou mayst discern a foolish brain.   

¶ Of youth.  
More needful manners bee to youth, then skill in musykes arte 
Aristotel   
Which beatify ther face through there behauyours of the heart.   

¶ Of Ly●… e.  
To live long take no thought, but care howe that thou mayest live well: 
Aristot:   
Buy not the life of death, but live as thou thy life shouldst sell.   

¶ Of truth.  
The man that useth faithfulness and truth in every thing 
Socrates.   
Hath greater servants then a prince or subiectes then a king.   

Of The pryuye enemy.  
An open adversary is more better then the foo,  
That friendly seems who pincheth har●… 
B●… etius.  and saith it is not so.   

¶ Of wisdom.  
A wise mans heart, in his right side is lappt, the fools the lestte, 
Sall●… s 〈◇〉▪   
T●… e one of reason is endued the other clean bereft.   

¶ Of sorrow.  
As sickness is the prison of the body so is greyfe,  
And sorrow prison to the soul 
Hermes:  through voydnes of relyefe.   

¶ Of understanding.  
When as in doubtful things a man doth doubt and certain is:  
Of certain things his sense seems 
A●… istip.  not to understand amiss.   

¶ Shamfastenes.  
From youth it doth become each man grete shamefastness to haue,  
In filthy things, but bold to bee 
Hermes.  in each thing right doth crave.   

¶ Of Ignoranse.  
The ignorant which errs in that the which he doth not know, 
Plato.   
demands that pardon would be quick but rashness to be slow.   

¶ Of a fool  
like as the rain or sappye dew cannot enrich the seed,  
Which planted is upon the stones whereof it stands in need 
Plato.   
No more may teaching ought prevail or study to the fool.  
Or any engine that informs the scyll of wysdomes school.   

¶ Of friends.  
As fire can not be separate from heat, nor heat from fire: 
Seneca.   
So are the hartes of faithful friends which live in one desire.   

¶ Of Wrath.  
A ston is heavy and the sand is wayghtye by his kind, 
Sal●…   
But yet a fools wrath by his weight doth burden more the mind,   

¶ Of wrath.  
Humylytye patiense and fair speech Do mollyfye the rage,  
Of anger wrath or heauynes 
Hermes.  And sorrows do assuage.   

¶ Of evil mens praise.  
The payntyng praise of wicked men doth rather yield defame 
Hermes:   
To him, that praised is, then good aduaunsynges of his name.   

¶ Of gentleness.  
It is a point of gentleness the gentle to suppose 
Hermes:   
Rather the beste of every thing, then woorste, for to disclose.   

¶ Of Mans course.  
AS after night, the cheerful light of morning doth appear,  
And then the rays of Tytan cause the skies for to bee clear  
And after Tytan doth approach by course a filthy cloud,  
And then fair wether which departs 
Marcus aureli.  and cuttes the pytchye shroud,  
And after that huge Thunder clapps, with lyghtnynges cource the ayere  
And after this proceeds again the wether clear and fair,  
So after infancy by kind doth chyldhode hye him fast,  
Then manly youth, then crooked age, then ouglye death, at last:  
And after death another life, renews himself from pain  
Thus state doth stand, & state doth fall, and state doth rise again.   

¶ Of Women and childre.  
A womans counsel hath but weak a chyldes unperfect shifts, 
Seneca.   
The one for slenderness of wit the other, natures gifts.   

¶ Of Lechery●….  
The young man living lecherouslye when as his youth is paste 
Anaxagoras.   
And age salutes him, most doth crouch to foul deformed waste.   

¶ Of a good captain.  
Alustye captain which should led an army, ought retain  
These four things or else his fort is frustrate and in vain: 
Cicero.   
first perfect knowledge of the wars then valyantnes of heart:  
Then with aucthorytye good lucke to ratyfye his parte:   

¶ Of seeking and finding.  
A better thing it is to seek 
Demosibe nes.  and seeking not to finde,  
Then for to get the thing whereof no proffitt is resynde.   

¶ Of experiense.  
Experiense is a chastismente which knoweth to esche we  
The danger of an old mishape, 
Iesussy rach.  or perryll of an new.   

¶ Of a wicked man.  
When as a wicked man is dead and lapped in the ground, 
Marcus: aurels.   
Then doth least hurt from him proceed and myschyfe least abound.   

¶ Of good works.  
Exterior deeds or works be void 
Alexse ●… erus.  vnsauorye and disgraste,  
except that from the heart they haue, there sauce, and take their taste.   

¶ Of f●… me  
A good report more precious is 
Sal●… on.  to him that doth it hold.  
Then riches, favour likewise seems more valorous then gold,   

¶ Of victory.  
There is no greater victory by knowledge or by scyll: 
Dioge.   
Then man for to subde we himself and overcome his will.   

¶ Of liberty.  
No state possesseth perfectte joy which liberty doth want: 
Dioge.   
For nothing can be void of woes where liberty is scante.   

¶ Of truth  
Truth is the daughter of time which truth by right immortal seems, 
Auluss gelius.   
Because when time hath covered long her state and each man deems  
That time hath broke the wings of truth and that shee can not fly, 
Marcus aure●…   
Yet truth at last with mighty force her wisdom doth descry.   

¶ Of the soul.  
As to the soul the body is a norisher of needs 
Plutareh   
So is the soul an instrument, to god and traverse proseedes:   

¶ Of love.  
Of love, there is two several kinds the one of natural love 
Cicero.   
The other heavenly which surmounts the former far above.   

¶ Of liberality.  
The liberal man neglecteth not his goods, but doth maintain 
Hermes.   
His giving so, as he may keep: to give his store again.   

¶ Of fear.  
fear is a virtue which depends on love, and louelye use: 
Alex: se ue●… us.   
And when as fear is void of love then fear is in abuse.   

¶ Of Uyce.  
The man is cursed whom power divine hath formed to bee wise 
Marcus: aureli.   
And he inferyor to a man doth make himself by vice.   

¶ Of wit.  
He wyslye sees his proper wit although it bee the beste 
besiege.   
which doth suppose it for the woorste the weakest add the least.   

¶ Of a fool.  
The man that sekeeth felowshipp 
Pitthago  or counsel of his foes:  
Doth seek the ready means to heap A boundanse of his wooes.   

¶ Of love.  
Nothing so hark or secret is But love can it espy,  
Nothing so daungerous but love 
Seneca.  will sone attempt to try.   

¶ Of death.  
praise no mans life before his death for death discovers then: 
Socrates   
The man his life, and all that he before his death did mean.   

¶ Of three pyttyfull things  
Three things are to bee pytyed much the fourth can not be born:  
A good man sobiect to a shrew hath mighty cause to morn,  
A wise man thrall unto a fool 
Hermes  a liberal to a wretch  
Haue likewise cause by shryking cries there careful throats to stretch:  
But when a fool is set a loft and plased in the seat.  
Where as a wise man should bear rule▪ this open wrong is great.   

¶ Of good deeds.  
The wight which knows howe to do well retaynes suffitiente scyll, 
Pla●… o.   
And he hath power enough that can refrain from doing ill.   

¶ Of friendship.  
The distansye of plase can not d●… sseuer the effect 
Isocrates   
Of frendshipe, but may slake his heat and proof therof neglect.   

¶ Of a godly scar.  
The vertueus man doth so●… er fear two prosprous dayes of wealth 
Marcus aure.   
Then for two hundred dayes take care of want or lack of health.   

¶ Of fools:  
amongst the foolish rout of fools, that fool exceeds the rest:  
Which doth pretend to know the most 
Pithago  and yet doth know the least.   

¶ Of godly works,  
In life the many yeares of man should not esteemed bee,  
Except his yeares with many works 
Marcus aure.  of godliness agree.   

¶ Of lust & lechery.  
NO sin doth sooner man invade then lechery or lust,  
And nothing sooner works his wooes or lays him in the dust:  
For it reproveth golden famed and maketh all things waste,  
And that which long the fathers pain hath reapte it spends in hast.  
And maketh faint the force of man and takes his strength away,  
And doth deform the flower of youth long time before his day:  
And favour doth dysfygure clean and beawtye doth de●… ace  
And health endeavours to appare 
Aristos:  and shortens vytall race:  
And all diseases doth it bring, and damps and ●… lles the wyte,  
And grasses abeastelie mind in man, a filthy and vnfytt,  
And plungeth him, and sosseth him in puddle and in mire,  
And broylethe singeth and consumes his heart in scorchyng fire.   

¶ Of prayer.  
A precious virtue prayer is 
Pitthago ras.  which strongly can prevail,  
against temptations and the harms which do our lives assail.   

¶ Of bringing up.  
It is not possible for hime to virtue to attain, 
〈◇〉.   
Whose youth hath not iustructed ben in virtue to take pain.   

¶ Of disobedience.  
The chiefest ruin of a realm or fountain of decay, 
Ponta: nus.   
Is disobedience to the things which ought to bear a sway.   

¶ Of gen●… illnes.  
like as dysdainefull pride doth tears the twiste of virtues knot  
And iustise doth confounded, and realms and public weals doth rot  
And treadethe honore under fo●… te and clean suppresseth down,  
The happy gain of good roporte and profit of renown.  
So gentleness and meekness doth beneuolense provoke,  
And sweet affection styrreth up 
Alex●… sene.  and slays by dedlye stroke:  
The rage of hatred and disdain but kyndels hot desire  
To love, and each mans heart by force of favour sets on fire.   

¶ Of the noble man.  
The noble man doth well dezerue of honour to haue parte, 
Marcus aure.   
The which adjoineth virtue, to his high and noble heart.   

¶ Of lies.  
To boast or lie it is a vice which makes the soul of man, 
Socrate:   
Soare sick, & nothing else but shane and reason, cure it, can.   

¶ Of poverty.  
there is no fault in misery in poverty or need, 
Isocrat.   
But such as judge the same thearof they faultye are in deed.   

¶ Of mysfortunes.  
Of all mysfortunes that may chaynce or chances that may fall,  
To haue ben fortunate it is 
Socrates  the greatste mischance of all.   

¶ Of Pleasures.  
Possessions great and substance move virtue to be suspect,  
Because they bee the nurses to 
Alex: seue.  delyghtes of wanton sect.   

¶ Of couetousenes.  
The fouleste vice that may bee found and ouglyest to behold,  
Is aueryse, which skulls the souls 
Pitthago ras.  of men, for gain of gold.   

¶ Of the pleasures of the soul  
The pleasures of the soul where in The soul doth most delight 
Aristot.   
Is for to know his god himself and heavenly things a right.   

¶ Of prosperity.  
The more thy fate aduanseth thee the more shouldst thou, abase 
Cicero.   
thyself, and least suppose of such thy state, or happy case.   

¶ Of idleness.  
idleness is, the syncke of sin which gapes and still receives,  
each st ynkynge puddle in his mouth that vice to him bequeaues:  
And when bryin full it can not then 
Alexse 〈◇〉.  sustain to carry more,  
It brasteth out his poisoned air the which it held before.   

¶ Of measure.  
spend not to much, nor bee to near 
Pitthago ras.  so shalt thou measure haue  
And neither want to live, nor to thy substance bee a slave.   

¶ Of the soul.  
A visage that deformed is doth seem af●… lthye sight: 
Pit●… ags   
But much more is a soul def●… Ide, which hath in 'vice del●… ght.   

¶ Of dissension.  
like as a spot, in time should bee removed from his place  
And cleanlye wiped out least h●… e the garment more disgrace: 
〈◇〉.   
So should dissension at the first bee seassed in the prime,  
Before it grow to further hate through length or traste of time.   

¶ Of wrath  
If that thou canst not rule thy will or bridle wrathful ire, 
Hermes.   
keep close the same for that shal quench the flamynges of such fire.   

¶ Of Lawe.  
An evil lawe and a fools love is like a cloud: in scye 
Seneca.   
Which now appears, but strait dispersed and seen by no mans eye.   

¶ Of science.  
A man may science get by pain and knowledge by his shifts, 
Aristit.   
But wisdom and discretion bee of God the seldom gifts.   

¶ Of the learned.  
The ignorant man had need haue mirth and music in his feasts, 
Socrates   
But of the learned man his voice, can better cheer his geastes.   

¶ Of conceit.  
The man hath least of sense, and is for each deuyce vnfytt, 
Iesussy rach.   
That beste supposeth of himself, and trusteth to his wit.   

¶ Of faith.  
From perfect faith proceedeth fear from fear proceedeth hate 
Iesussy rach.   
Of ill, from hate of ill, proceeds good hope in adverse state,  
And thē through hope, the faithful mind is locked in a chair  
Of health: and happiness but shut from doubtynge or despair.   

¶ Of unprofitable living.  
That man most viciouslye doth live and hatred ought to chase 
funeral.   
Who liveth only for himself and for his proper case.   

¶ Of the ●… onge.  
As by the tongue the treasures of the heart are so dysclosd  
That thereby frendshypp is begonn and thearto trust deposd,  
And earthly substance is increaste and life is brought to stay,  
And eke the body well preserud 
Legmon.  and kept from his decay,  
So likewise purchaseth the same much hatred and dyspyght:  
great mischyfes: and in every thing the loss of his delight.   

¶ Of perfect patience.  
The man is perfect patient who when fury doth assay 
Socrates   
His heart, can bridle his affects and appetites delay.   

¶ Of gifts.  
give to the wise, and he will thank, the fool will ask the more: 
Socrates   
Use therfore wisdom in thy gifts so shalt thou purchase store.   

¶ Of sorrow.  
The redyest means to ease a grye●… s is idleness to fly, 
Marcus aurel●….   
And use some exersyse for this dame sorrow doth deny.   

¶ Of a judge.  
¶ Hatred, love, and avarice Bee causes diverse times  
That Iudges slackly punish 'vice 
Aris●… t  and stiffly maintain crimes.   

¶ Of a fool.  
¶ When as a fool, of riches hath 
Aris●… ot  or substance any store,  
His Riches make him more a fool then ●… re he was before.   

¶ Of Nature.  
each thing save nature, may be changed 
Solon.  each thing eschew●… e save death,  
And it is natural for man to lose his vytall breath.   

¶ Of godly works.  
The man that useth diligence and care good works to sow, 
Socrates:   
With joy shall reap the fruictfulnes, that of such works do grow.   

¶ Of a wysemans heart.  
The hartes of wise men bee the forts or castles which witheholde 
Pithago●…   
The secrets, least the tic●… le tongue their counsels should unfold.   

¶ Of an vniuste man.  
It is a noisome labour and a travell spent in vain  
A fond endeavour of no good and eke a frui●… tles pain: 
Marcus 〈◇〉   
To give the rule of iustice to the man that is vniuste,  
Who rather in the lytleste things dezerueth most mystruste.   

¶ Of houore.  
To loftye honore whearin is to much of statelye pride, 
Pl●… tarch   
Is like a thing which stands on hye and suddaynlye doth slide.   

¶ Of Knowledge.  
A man which doth presume to bee 
Aris ip  a man, and hath no skill  
Is like a ston which neither sap 
Mar●… us 〈◇〉.  nor lyckor doth dystyll.   

¶ The depycture of a wrathful man.  
Yf man do mark the foolish rage of wrath, and ponder well,  
How man dysfigurde is thereby: into a monster fell  
With foul infarsed rankrous face with mouth imboste and swollen,  
And staryng eyes and stampping feet 
Cicere.  and lips as black as colne,  
And flautring tongue and chattring teth and brayinge roarynge voyse,  
And poisoned spitful words and works of such unseemly noise  
His heart wolde loth this ouglye vice and utterly detest.  
The same to see the form of man converted in a beast.   

¶ Of the heart.  
The heavy heart and sorrowful 
Marcu●… aure:  doth live by sobs and tears,  
And lafes at death, because his sight doth rid him from his fears.   

¶ Of reuenge.  
The redyest way to seek reuenge is it for to despise 
Marcus aureli.   
And wrong contemn this rightly do and then thou shalt be wise.   

¶ Of the wit.  
like as there is no three, except it good attendaunse haue,  
That will bee fertyll or resign such fruits as wee do cra●… e. 
Plu●… arch   
No more our wit will profit us or yield us any wealth,  
Except we first employ or pain for to devise his health.   

¶ Of prosperity and adversity.  
In time of troubell constantnes and patiense should the guide  
In time of wealth thy lowliness 
Marcus aureil.  should bridle thee from pride.   

¶ Of the begininge.  
Consider the begyninge, so the end shall surer bee.  
For one mischance another draws 
Aristot:  and both will hinder thee.   

¶ Of a scoldynge woman.  
Who so the woman can refrain that s●… owes her poisoned mind 
solomon▪   
By spiteful words doth he●… ld fast oil and doth re●… arne the wind.   

¶ Of a fools honore.  
like as the snow in summer is or rain, in harvest prime  
A fruictles thing and most vnfytt for such a pleasant time: 
Iesus sy r●… ch.   
So likewise honore for unwise or woorshypp for a fool,  
doth seem an instrument unapt a fonde and fruictles tool.   

¶ Of the knowledge of ourselves.  
Yf thou desyreste to know thyself 
Seneca.  peruse thyself, and way  
thyself: but credicte not the things that other by thee say.   

¶ Howe to praise.  
If thou wouldst praise a man because he springs of noble blood,  
●… we well, if that his parentes eke deserve a praise as good:  
Yf for his riches think that fate and fortune tickle is,  
Yf for his strength suppose disease may make it fare amiss,  
If for his swiftness bear in mind, that age can it deface,  
If for his beauty know the same 
〈◇〉  will vanish in a space.  
But if for virtue, wit, or shyll, or else for wisdoms store:  
●… low forth thy trompe of famed with force, for they will flourish more.  
And neither heritage doth yield nor Fortune alter may,  
Nor age deface, nor time deform, nor any chance decay.   

¶ Of idleness.  
None lust more fearsly doth assault, or lechery torments,  
Then those whom idleness inhauntes, 
Plato.  and slothfulness frequentes.   

¶ Of drunkenness.  
As when good wine doth spurge by kind there will amount & rise  
The nether partes therof, and that 
Plato.  within the bottom lies.  
So bee the secrets of the heart by drunkenness disclosd,  
And all such counseles as thereto 
Plutarch  we are faithfully reposd.   

¶ Of nature.  
If after nature thou wilt live thou never shalt be poor,  
If after thine opinion then 
Seneca.  thou never shalt haue store.   

¶ Of inordinate desire.  
There is no grief in want or need but where there is desire,  
Inordinate, of having that 
August. ce●… sarus.  the fansye doth require.   

¶ Of the kings court.  
The court or palace of the prince or dwellings of the king,  
Is as a fountain to his realm from whence if cleanness spring  
Unto his peoplle do proceed 
Alexse ●… erus.  the fruits of honest life,  
But if vncleannes then doth rain each filthy vyse as rife.   

¶ Of counsel.  
demand no counsel of the man that seemeth to dyspyce.  
Thy state, but hid it from thy fooe so shall thy heart bee wise  
Nor take, of woman her advice in matters that shee would  
Nor counsel, touching wars of him which therein is not bold, 
Iesus sy rach.   
Nor of a byer howe that thou thy wears to him shouldst sell,  
Nor of an ●… uyous man howe thou, with other men shouldst deal,  
Nor of the slothful how thy state thou mayest in wealth maintain.  
Nor of the idle howe to get a profit or a gain:  
But of the virtuous take advice and he shall tell thee ●… east,  
The thing that needful is for thee and meet to thy request.   

¶ Of the prodygall & niggarde.  
The great consumption of the man which spends his goods in vain,  
Doth heap him sorrow, shane, & need and much deserved pain, 
besiege.   
And he that niggardlye doth spare his goods to rust and rot,  
doth purchase witness how the same he hath retaynde and got.   

¶ Of a Woman.  
like as a block though it bee decte with pearl and precious gold,  
If it no comlye shape or form or feature fine do hold,  
Is not to bee regarded, so, 
Plato.  a woman or a wife  
though shee bee beautiful, and haue no manners in her life,  
Is not to bee esteemed more then is a brutish swine,  
Whom neither gold nor other coste can make sufficient fine.   

¶ Of a good life.  
Suppose not of thyself to much by foolish proud consaite,  
Nor crave to seem a greater man then thou doeste way by weight,  
Nor bee not cruel but despise such churlyshnes, and use  
meek gentleness, nor flatter not, 
Sene●… a.  nor seem not to abbuse  
The friendship offered unto thee, but render like a gain:  
And then bee slow to wrath, but swift to cure thy neighbours pain,  
And thou shalt live in happy state in worship and at ease,  
And if thou fail, aredie help shall soon thy care appease.   

¶ Of our creation.  
As from the mighty God our first beginning did proceed:  
That likewise they to him return 
Aristot:  it seems, a seemelye need.   

¶ Of fear.  
The man that only worshipps God for fear of a mischance:  
Is like the man that for like fear 
Plutare  doth ancients famed advance.   

¶ Of Credence.  
give neither to much credence to a tale is toulde to thee  
Nor to much scorn, for these the guise 
Isocrates  of fools and mad men bee.   

¶ Howe to make the wit apt.  
Ne wit, ne courage, strength, ne force, can floryshe in his kind,  
If eyter slothe or foul excess by use oppress the mind,  
For strength of body is resolved the wits consume and waste,  
And bee disperste to fruitless end▪ 
Alexse ●… rus.  and lose their sauorye taste  
But by good order of the life and practise in the same  
Both wit and courage prosper well and get immorrall famed.   

¶ Of love.  
OF love five several sorts the●… bee, and one deserveth praise,  
And three bee wicked, and the fourthe to natures will obeys. 
Pitthago ras.   
The first is mutual love, which love to each man doth abound,  
provoked be the fear of God, or else by friendship found.  
The other love is natural which love himself extendes,  
Unto his kindred or his stock or other such his friends,  
An other love ther is which loues 
Pithago  an other man, for that  
That louelye use might purchase him aduaunsement to his state:  
And so some love for lukers sake, by flattrye to attain:  
When as they need, some ready help or else some private gain,  
And last, therbee which dote in love, by loving that which thaye,  
In time do finde a fruictles love that works their own decay.   

¶ Of liberty.  
Of every earthly thing that most his liberty doth crave▪ 
Alex●… seue.   
Mannes fansye liketh beste of all his liberty to haue.   

¶ Of friends.  
Yf friends their frendshypp well haue bought & fredshipp well haue sold,  
Their cares, theyrioyes, and eke their pains 
Aristot●…  in common they d●… hold.   

¶ Of 'vice.  
No man can virtue get except, he first do clean ●… yle 
Hermes.   
His vices, which pollute his partes and do his soul def●… le.   

¶ Of faith.  
The faith of faithful men not used, 
Socrate●…  or practysd makes it faint:  
And diuers great displeasures reaps and moves it to complaint.   

¶ Of Honore not dezerued.  
As withered flowers do  shed ther leaves so shall the honoured wight 
Cicero.   
which doth dezerue no honore, vade and purchase him despite.   

¶ Of counsel.  
Though few in counsel may suffice, yet take the good aduise  
Of many, for the more ther is the better doth arise,  
Preuentynge of the harms that may by ouersyghte insewe:  
For one will show the old misehapp 
Marcus aureli.  another tell the new,  
Another what the damage is another what the gain,  
Another, remedy disclose for every privy pain.   

¶ Of mens laws.  
The laws which men do make may well to cobwebbes bee comparde, 
Marcus aure.   
Through which great flies be soon escaped but little fast insnarde.   

¶ Of a judge.  
whom good deliberation and perfect proof haue found  
To bee devoid of each suspect, 
Alex●… seue.  and of a judgement sound:  
such men should bee assigned to rule and iustice to dispose,  
Whose hartes the tract of time should prove true dealings to disclose.   

¶ Of a quarreler.  
As coals or wood provoketh heat and makes a flaminge fire, 
Salomon   
So doth a man that hath delight in brawling, stir up ire.   

¶ Of a Prince.  
Like as a Prince should gracious be, and bountiful of will 
Philip Rex.   
Unto the good, so sharp▪ severe and rough unto the ill.   

¶ Of the soul.  
The night is tedious unto man, but much more is the wright 
Socrates   
Of man, if it be destitute or void of heavenly light.   

Of the world.  
The man that byndes himself unto this world, must whole bequeave  
And yeld himself, to these .iii things which needs he must receive:  
first unto need, for never he 
Archi la●…  suffisaunce shall attain,  
Then unto loss, and hassardes great and last to endless pain.   

¶ Of the souls sickness.  
even as the soul doth far surpas the body, so likewise  
The griefs thearof more greater are, 
Dioge.  then body can devise.   

¶ Of deliberation.  
The wiseman with ●… iser ession doth his deeds for fear of waste, 
solomon   
The fool with folly doth attempt his works in harishe hast.   

¶ Of a prince.  
The princes life is as a mark which each man shootethe at,  
Or as a glass wherein the realm may see his proper state: 
Marcus aureli.   
For whereunto the king inclined doth use his busy pain  
Unto the same his subiectes most addicted do remain.   

¶ Of friendship.  
The wight that from the life of man 
Cicero.  would friendship take a way,  
should seem to take the sun from yerth or else the light from day.   

¶ Of Hope.  
The hope of things, is bondage great despair is free of all: 
Tha●… es.   
The one at ease is sure to stand The other fears to fall.   

¶ Of mercy  
Compassion ought for to bee shown to such as live in grief, 
Alex se 〈◇〉.   
And poverty, and need, and such as want of such relief.   

¶ Of the liberal man.  
The liberal man doth not receive the right of this his name,  
By value of the things he gives nor purchaseth his famed:  
But by the frendelye gentleness 
Aristor.  aboundynge in his heart,  
Which moveth him by loving zeal his substance to impart.   

¶ Of love.  
In loving him that hatethe us 
Plato.  wee can not take delight,  
Let each man therfore live for love, that he deserve no spite.   

¶ Of good counsel.  
Where as good counsel is not, there the people do decay: 
Sal●… mon.   
But if aduise do rule, there state doth stand in perfect stay.   

¶ Of Obedience.  
That public wealth doth surely stand and is in prosperous plight,  
Where as the Prince obedience hath and reverence a right: 
justin.   
For rightful duty done to him doth move him for to show  
His favour likewise unto them and so doth concord grow.   

¶ Of Honest life.  
It is a thing unnatural 
Cicero.  that men by others spoil  
should live, and thereby heap his goods and use no further toil.   

¶ Of rich men.  
The painful travell rich men use to haue their goods increased, 
Iesus sy ra●… h.   
Consumes their bones, & wears their flesh & makes them want their rest.   

¶ Of the happy man.  
Of all which happy men haue ben. 
Iesus sy rach.  that man deserves the name  
Of happy, who hath lived, to get by death, parpetuall famed.   

¶ Of Uertew.  
Pure virtue is a fortress strong, that never can be won:  
A pleasant river, that, by force can never be undone:  
A ●… ea, that never moves his waves: a Fire that doth defend  
His heat, which never quenched is a treasure hath no end: 
Marcus aure:   
An army never vanquished: a burden very light:  
A spy, that never taken is a token pointyng right.  
A parfecte pathway never fails: a Sirrope which doth cure  
And healeth streight: a hye renown that ever doth endure.   

¶ Of a Good man.  
The man which doth an honest deed, is better then his act:  
So likewise he which worketh ill 
Socrates  is worse then the fact.   

¶ Of the ill.  
If needs thou wilt, employ thyself to wickedness and ill: 
Socrates:   
Where God is absent there bee bold to work thy wicked will.   

¶ Of the ignorant.  
The man vnscylfull, is of trust and credit very light:  
But learned men by learninges scyll 
solomon.  in each thing haue foresyght.   

¶ Who knows.  
The man that understands not that which he by right should know,  
Amongst the fellowship of men a brutish beast doth grow: 
Pitthag●…   
And he that knows nomore then sarues to satisfy his need,  
among brute beasts is as a man and sarues no further stead,  
But he th● knows all should be known and each thing understands  
amongst men is a God, and lives vnbounde from errors bands.   

¶ Of a dead fool.  
The wise man lives because he knoes the things by learned scill,  
That he endeavours or attempts or guideth by his will  
But the unlearned fool is dead 
Plato.  because he knows not that  
which he deviseth or assaults, and proves he knows not what.   

¶ Of the slothful.  
The slothful man engenders sleep and breeds his proper pain:  
And doth disease his bodies health 
solomon.  and hunger doth sustain.   

¶ Of an ignorant man.  
An ignorant man may bee descried by want of reasons sayll,  
Because he knows not howe to rule himself or guide his will,  
And eke by lack of wit because he knows not to refrain 
Plato.   
His lust, but follows 'vice vnwares and runs in hedlonge pain,  
And last, by bondage that he is suppressed in womans yoke,  
The which his mind to every filth and folly doth provoke.   

¶ Of perfect good.  
A man can not be perfect good If he despise his fo: 
Plato.   
What is he then, if to his friend, he offer to do so.   

¶ Of wise men.  
Like as to men, which Olephantes enstructe or seek to tame,  
Do wear no colours white, lest that they should displease the same:  
Or as the keepers of wild bulls do warily refuse  
To give them sight of colours light. 
Plutarch  lest they should them misuse:  
So likewise, wise men ought to shun and good men to eschew  
All things whereof mishap or harm may follow or ensue.   

¶ Of youth.  
As wax is pliaunte to receive the print of every seal: 
Mermes:   
So youth, each doctrine taught to him is ready to reveal.   

¶ Of the covetous man.  
The covetous man, a Dropsye hath: for still the greater store  
He doth possosse of want and need 
Pitthago  he ever hath the more.   

¶ Of Flaterye.  
As worms do seek the softest wood and there increase their nest: 
Plus.   
So flattery soonest doth deceive the gentliest and the best.   

¶ Of Lust.  
Dishonour, shane, and evil end depends on filthy lust, 
Aristot.   
And it defaseth famed, and soon consume him to the dust.   

¶ Of Diligence.  
The man that useth diligence in ought he doth pretend. 
Arist●….   
His deeds or works with quietness shall bring to perfect end.   

¶ Of Richesse.  
These Richesse ought to be dispisde whom wast doth spend in vain, 
Pithago▪   
Or Auarise doth heap, whereof doth spring no good or gain.   

¶ Of Fortune.  
The brickle form of Fortuns wheel, So tickle is and vain,  
That now it hoysteth up aloft and now reuokes again,  
And after flattreth by her guise 
Marcus ●… re:  and shows a short delight,  
Whear●… ye, in time her subtle wyle doth work a greater spyght.   

¶ Of children.  
The diposition of the child, or manners of the same: 
Philip Rex.   
Is either to the fathers praise or to the fathers blame.   

¶ Of men which live in sorrow.  
There be syxe sorts of wretched men which ever live in wooes,  
And drous●… e care, and by no means may bee devoid of those.  
The first is he whose memory 
Philip Rex.  can not forget his pain  
Or trouble, but records his grief which moves him to complain:  
Another is the envious man, whose heart doth melt by spyghte  
And care, to see his fooe aduaunste or live in happy plighte,  
Another he who dwells in place where as he can not thrive,  
And sees another prosper well whom fate doth not deprive:  
Another is the hautye man suppressed by decay:  
Another he which can not get his wish by any way,  
And last, the man which doth enhaunte the fellowship of wise,  
And can not yet obtain such skill. as fain he would devise.   

¶ Of the souls vexation.  
The greatest grief or dolours which the body doth sustain 
Socrates   
Can not be likened to the souls most least surmised pain.   

¶ Of a Pikethanke.  
he that in presence unto thee an other will defame  
when thou arte absent, of thyself will do the very same. 
Hermes:   
For none mistrust doth more deserve or doubtfulness then they  
which can the will of every man accordingly obey.   

¶ Of travell.  
The travels labours or the pains necessity requires, 
Marcus aurels.   
Should bee sustained with courage good and steadfast hot desires.   

¶ Of the wit.  
The greatest 'vice that doth abuse the wit of man is this, 
Iesus sy rach.   
By others feigning of himself to judge or think amiss.   

¶ Of Uaynglorie.  
even as the famyshed for want of sustenance or food  
Is sometime forste to eat his flesh 
Plutare  and drink his proper blood:  
So the vayneglorious man for lack of others good report,  
Is fain to praise himself to them, in seeking their resort.   

¶ Of purchasynge love.  
Yf thou desire unto thy self good favour to attain,  
Or steadfast love of faithful frend●… then do thy busy pain: 
Proper c●… ne.   
For to forbear his testy wrath, but when the same is paste,  
Then easylie reprove his fault and he shall yield at las●… e.   

¶ Of wrath.  
wrath makes a man an ugly beast, but drunkenness doth more:  
deform the visage of the soul 
Plato.  which nothing can restore.   

¶ Of the giver.  
The man that hath sufficient power to give a fruitful gift  
Unto his friend, and doth it not, pretends a subtle shift:  
And he that promisethe to give 
Marcus aure.  and seekethe a delay,  
Him for a weak suspicious friend by right suppose wee may.   

¶ Of the spiteful man.  
As green wood lies & smolthers long before it takes the fire,  
But once through kindled hotter is, then wood which is more drier:  
So is the man whose heart can not 
Plato.  bee moved straight to wrath  
When he is vexed, more hot then he who hasty nature hath.   

¶ Of the wit.  
Ercepte the field be tilde with care, it lieth void of gain:  
And so the wit vnexersisde 
Plato.  no profit doth attain.   

¶ Of the Tongue.  
It is a most vnseemlye thing vnpleasannte and unfit,  
when as the slippery tongue of man 
Socrates  doth run, before his wit.   

¶ Of equal friendship.  
Tis seldom seen that friendship doth endure in full effect.  
where as the same vnegall seems, in any one respect:  
As with the sturdye stoburne man the easy gentle heart, 
Plato.   
Can not continue but by time, their friendship will depart:  
Nor he whom Fortune hath advanced or set in hye estate:  
with him whose case decayed by chance, is overthrown by fate:  
Nor he which seeketh to ascend with him whose greedy mind  
is likewise bent to climb a loft 
Plato.  his honour for to finde.  
But where as Fortune equal is and natures works alike,  
And musics lucre do despise there steadfast love doth stick.   

¶ Of an unlearned rich man.  
The rich man void of learnings skill, is like a patched peese:  
Or as a sheep which on his skin 
Dioge.  doth wear a golden fleece.   

¶ Of alms.  
Yf thou extend thy will and welth●… to satisfy the poor:  
Then God the rather will dispose 
Socrates  and give to thee the more   

¶ Of Slothe.  
The slothful man is made of clay●… or dirt the which polutes 
Iesus sy rach.   
The toucher of the same, and sloth the state of man confutes.   

¶ Of the world.  
This world is like a burning fire whereof if thou do take  
A little, it will warm thee well 
Pitthago  and coldness will aslake:  
But if to much thou gripe the force therof thy self will burn,  
And thus the more therof thou fakeste the less it serves thy turn.   

¶ Of the knowledge of this world.  
IF to thyself, thou purchase would the needful perfect skill,  
both of thyself, and of this world, employ thy painful will  
With busy care for to suppose and diligence to way,  
Three singul●… r especial things whereon thy state doth stay:  
The first which rightly doth require the chiefest room or place:  
Thy soul it is because the same pretends in this same case,  
The figure which immortal is of portraiture divine:  
Created by the mighty God, who did the same assign.  
The next and second to the same thy body, which the grave  
Or closet is of that thy soul: which body seems to haue.  
The execution of the aduise the soul by heavenly grace:  
Doth move and stir the body to, when 'vice it doth deface.  
And last as servant to the rest this world supplies the need  
Of every thing the body lacks, and is the least in dede.  
Let therfore thus accordingly 
Socrat●…  the eyesight of thy mind  
Respect●… the virtues of these three, as thou therof shalt find.  
And first account thy soul the best and therfore most bequeave,  
Thy diligence unto the same which ought it to receive.  
And then unto thy body next, according to degree:  
And last and least unto the world for so it ought to be.   

¶ Of Iustice.  
The man that useth Iustice shall both got him love and fear: 
Seneca.   
But where as Iustice is abused each 'vice aboundeth there.   

¶ Of punishment of the wicked.  
As cutting of the vine doth cause the same to flourish more,  
So sharpness used to evil men 
Plato.  doth make the lesser store.   

¶ Of patience.  
The virtue of patience is not got by force, nor strength refrains  
But by the goodness and the grace 
Plato.  the soul of man contains.   

¶ Of a prince.  
That Prince the most vnhappiest is which happy thynkes his state, 
Marcus aureli.   
Because his coffers bee inrichte or he aduaynste by fate.   

¶ Of a princes office.  
like as the son is equal to the rich man and the poor,  
And shines as well on barren ground, 
Soerates  as on the firtile store:  
So ought a prince to haue regard unto the thing he hears,  
And not unto the persons, but use equally his ears.   

¶ Of swearing.  
The man that many oaths frequentes 
Iesussy.  shall live in cursed dayes:  
And plagues shal never leave his house and shane shallbee his praise.   

¶ Of the civil lawe.  
The full effect of civil lawe, if it be good and true: 
Cicero.   
Is to live well and hurt no man, and give each one his due.   

¶ Of the wit.  
A quiet wit and skilful sense, doth ponder what is paste: 
Alex: seue.   
And what is now, and what to cum, and so auoydethe waste.   

¶ Of Iudgement.  
It is more better for a man, to judge amongst his foes 
Alex: se   
Then friends: for he shal therbie make a friend of one of those.   

¶ Of Iustice.  
Iustice, is not only parte or piece of virtues praise,  
But is the sum of virtues wealth, 
Aristot.  and head of virtues stays.   

¶ Of an unquiet wise.  
As to the feet of aged men it is a tedious pain,  
And maketh hearty all his foes but makes his people faint,  
And thereby honour fled, with shane bee doth himself acquaint.   

¶ Of the soul.  
like as the eye without his sight is blind and nothing sees, 
Plato.   
even so the soul devoid of grace, is blind and nought descries.   

¶ Of perseverance in counsel.  
like as a sick man which demaund●… good council for his wealth,  
Of the Phisission, and denies the medsyne for his health:  
even so the man whom doctrine good instructed hath, to learn 
Seneca.   
If he persever not therein no knowledge can deserne.   

¶ Of foolishness.  
It is the nature of a fool with scorn for to deride, 
Cicero.   
The little faults of other men and leave his own vnspyde   

¶ Of youth.  
After the course of winter time 
Plutarch  the spring doth follow fast:  
But after age shall never youth●… return, but death at last.   

¶ Of a rare thing.  
Of all things rare upon the earth or seldom on the ground: 
Marcus▪ ●… ure.   
A rich man, good, most rarest is and hardeste to bee found.   

¶ Of a good judge.  
The judge which winneth more good will then money, winnethe well: 
Marcus aureli.   
But he that winnethe money, more then love, doth weakelye deal.   

¶ Who may not bee just.  
The man that dredethe pain or death or feareth for exile, 
Cicero.   
May not bee just nor void of 'vice, nor wantynge subtle guile.   

¶ Of the wit without knowledge.  
even as a barren three devoid of fruit or fertile gain, 
Socrates.   
So is a wit that hath no skill, or else, a senseless brain.   

¶ Of contempt.  
No man contempt can suffer, for 
〈◇〉  none thinks himself so vyl●…  
As for to be despysd, or had in scornful hates exile.   

¶ Of mans property.  
The nature of a man is most that thing for to require: 
Thales.   
The which occasion doth forbid to grant to his desire.   

¶ Of Credyte.  
As after life once lost, that life returneth not again: 
Alex▪ seue.   
So credyte once abused, is lost but byndrance doth remain.   

¶ Ofselfeloue.  
love an ugly vice, desames the high and lofty state:  
And blindeth many by the toys conceived of flattering fate. 
Cicero.   
For many fools by glozing guile upholding fancies will:  
Be far deceived, and themselves with swelling pride do fill.   

¶ Of a Princes duty.  
The greater power and force a Prince attaineth by his fate: 
Marcus ●… ure:   
The greater virtue should he use to be wtify his state.   

¶ Of people or subiects.  
As wind unto the fire is in causing it to flamme: 
Pitthago   
So be the people to the prince in raising up his name.   

¶ Of the world.  
This world is as a privy path wherein do thistles lie: 
Seneca.   
And therfore men should take good bed●… howe they do pass thereby.   

¶ Of Rulers.  
The man that would a ruler be must labour first to learn  
A subiectes duty: then to guide he better shall discern. 
Alex: se   
For he that is a subject proud or covetous of heart:  
Shall never tempratelye fulfil a rulers busy parte.   

¶ Of counsel taking.  
There can not be in mortal man 
Plato.  a matter more divine  
Then good advice: for to demand in ought he doth assign.   

¶ Of God.  
Y Fthou wouldste rightly know to please the mighty god of heaven,  
Of all things needful most thereto be these, insuinge seven:  
The first that man do never leave his God for other men,  
Least likewise God when he shal need forsake his case as clean:  
The second, that it more avails to trust unto the might  
Of the immortal God, then all 
Marcus aure:  the power of mortal fight:  
The third that wee employ our cares least wee provoke the ire  
Of God, whose anger ragethe more then doth the broylinge fire.  
The fourth that God doth not forget a man for all his crimes,  
Except, that man do first forget his God, a thousand times.  
The fifth, that god doth punish more the good men then the ill,  
Because his mercy may pursue the teaching of his will.  
The sixte that if in time of warres we would our wealth increase:  
We duly serve and seek to please our God in time of peace.  
The seventh, that god to no man sends or realm his plague or threat:  
Except that man or realm haue first committed vices great. 
Marcus aure.   
For as God is of mercy full whose pity we may trust:  
So is he sharp, severe and rough and yet a God most just.   

¶ Of worldly honor.  
He worldly honor doth contemn the which is perfect wise: 
Plato.   
And he which riches doth embrace must wisdom needs despise.   

¶ Of Lawe.  
The happy realm which hath good law hath such a prop and stay: 
Socrates   
That thereby all things flourish fast but nothing can decay.  
wisdom is a wholesome three which springeth from the hart: 
Plato.   
And in the tongue doth bear his fruits and giveth each man part.   

¶ Of a wise man.  
By these three chief and proper points thou mayst a wise man know:  
By making him a faithful friend which was his utter foe. 
Isocrates   
By making learned such as rude and ignorant haue been:  
And last by good reforming those which wallow in their sin.   

¶ Of study.  
Like as the earth sustaynes the roote of any herb or three:  
But yet the sun by wholesome heats doth cause there blossoms be.  
So study bredes the sappy dew 
besiege.  of knowledge and of skill:  
And love and favor moves the same his virtues to distil.   

¶ Of man.  
We haue a soul and body which be diversly enclynde: 
Catelin.   
The one participate with God, the other brutish kind.   

¶ Of Riches.  
The rich mans substance doth provoke his heart to every vice:  
By moving him to pleasures fonde 
Aristot  whereof great harms arise.   

¶ Of childehode.  
Nothing doth stick more fast in mind or planted is so deep:  
As that which in his tender youth 
Fabius.  a man hath sought to keep.   

¶ Of words.  
The disposition of the mind may best be understood: 
Dioge.   
By the procedings of the mouth as they be nought or good.   

¶ Of good deeds.  
So do thy deeds as thou wouldst haue the same for to be known: 
Euripi des.   
Yet keep them close a while, and then at large let them be shown.   

¶ Of concord.  
No peace ne concord may endure amongst such foolish men:  
As know not reverence for to give, to whom, wherefore nor when.  
For where as all men be alike, there is continual strife: 
justin.   
And thereby hatred and decay, and ruin reign as rife.   

¶ Of 'vice.  
As we are set in great delights 
Marcus aureli.  and worldly pleasant famed  
By 'vice, so likewise mischiefs more we purchase by the same.   

¶ Of vain glory.  
As he that gives unwillingly but little seems to haue: 
Marcus aure.   
So he that praiseth slenderly seems praise again to crave.   

¶ Of virtue.  
Eachman by travail will provoke and put himself to pain:  
To get the treasure of this world and wealth of earthly gain. 
Dioge.   
But much more requisite it is that man should use his care:  
To seek for virtue which no time can alter nor apare.   

¶ Of virtuous deeds.  
Tis better much, for virtuous deeds to take rebuk and shane: 
Hermes   
Then by deceit of vicious works to get renown and famed.   

¶ Of fair words.  
In trouble poverty or need 
Marcus aureli.  sweet words do profit small:  
Except that also sweet good works be mingled therewithal.   

¶ Of an envious man.  
The serpents spew their venom out and poison, to intent  
To damage other men therwith, and therefore is it spent. 
Seneca.   
But the malicious man doth more himself with filth infect  
Then any else, and therfore most his own wealth doth detect.   

¶ Of Liberality.  
Ther be two fountains which approve 
Valeri us maxi  the liberal mans good savour:  
The one is iudgement sound or sure the other honest favour.   

¶ Of the most evil thing.  
As nothing better then good men in all the world remains: 
Proteg.   
So nothing worse then evil men or wicked it contains.   

¶ Of Conditions.  
Like as in each Pomegranate is 
Plato.  some rotten seed or grain:  
So some condition that is ill in each man doth remain.   

¶ Of gifts.  
If thou wouldst give, & wouldst therein avoyde suspicious famed:  
Thou must with measure use thy gifts and wisely weigh the same. 
Solon.   
For if too little they be, then report will say in hast:  
Thou art a niggarde, if too great it iudgeth thee to waste.   

¶ Of faith.  
Nothing a common wealth preserves and nothing profit stayth: 
Cicero●…   
So much in perfect proof of wealth as doth the virtuous faith.   

¶ Of truth.  
truth is the messenger of God which each man ought to take: 
Plato.   
Both for the nature of herself and for hir masters sake.   

¶ Of good behaviour.  
If thou intendst to do the things is good, or to thy need:  
With diligence and pain provide therein for to proceed.  
But if thou dost determine ought that doth incline to ill: 
Zenocra tes.   
Then be as swift for to suppress the same and conquer will.   

¶ Of love.  
As ivy always some what finds whereto himself should cleave:  
So love hath always servants good 
Plato.  which love do never leave.   

¶ Of sober demeanour.  
It is most requisite for man to show a sober face:  
And manners in the sight of youths that they may learn his grace.  
And in the sight of ancient men 
Plato.  to use himself likewise:  
That he may know and learn of them the things that they devise.   

¶ Of flattery.  
It is ●… point of slatery in presence for to praise. 
Seneca.   
A man, and great vnsemelines for to revoke his phrayse.   

Of wrath.  
The man may best from wrath or ire his raging heart refrain:  
Which thinks how God beholds him 
Soerates  well and doth his pride disdain.   

¶ Of Wine.  
Like as with water malt is made to haue a savour sweet:  
So wine with measure to make glad 
Hermes:  the senses is most meet.   

¶ Of the tongue.  
The tongue of man well used is good, the most commodious thing  
That man may haue, whereby procedes the favour of the king. 
Legmon.   
But if abused the same, more ill, more pestilent and vile,  
And poyseuous is then any harm that works the wealths exile.   

¶ Of speech.  
It is great wisdom for a man in speech to be advised: 
Socrat.   
Least after many words dispersed his sayings be despised.   

¶ Of a liar.  
Tis meet the foolish fellowship of liars to eschew:  
But needful more we credite not 
Hermes  the same nor them ensue.   

¶ Of a fools secret.  
even as a clear and perfect glass 
Aristot.  can hid nothing appears  
Before the same: so fools can keep no secret close of theirs.   

¶ Of pleasures.  
Temperance is an utter foe to lust and lusts despite: 
Aristot.   
And lust is wayghting seruant to each pleasure and delight.   

¶ Of the Flatterer.  
even as the shadow follows stil a man in every place: 
Plutarch   
So doth a sycophant the like with his dissembling face.   

¶ Of Fortune.  
The property of Fortune is so cruel fierce and fel:  
That she will punish them who most do seem to serve hir well.  
And she beguyleth every man, 
Marcus aure:  but none beg●… leth her:  
And she will promise much and yet the time will still defer.  
Hir song is weeping, and hir tears is laughter both to dead:  
And them alive and both alike she serveth in their need.  
And spurneth them that present be the absent threatening sore:  
A wise man shonnes hir, but a fool will care for hir the more.   

¶ Of the covetous man.  
Like as a dog devoureth all is given to him in hast:  
And greedily doth gape for more 
Aristot.  and eats it up as fast.  
So likewise doth the covetous when he by chance doth get  
A pray: abound thereby, the more in greediness as great.   

¶ Of diligence.  
Nothing doth sooner purchase store or sets the heart at ease: 
Aristot:   
In quiet state then diligence which travell doth appease.   

¶ Of happiness.  
He is not happy that aboundes in riches or in store: 
Seneca.   
But he which well doth use the same that man is happy more.   

¶ Of sure living.  
The little goods or poverty 
Isocrates  that is with surety kept:  
Is better much then riches which with dread and fear be rept.   

¶ Of the knowledge of ourselves.  
It is a point of folly great that thou shouldst rightly show: 
Marcus aure:   
Of other men and of their faults, and not thyself to know.   

¶ Of wise mens fore knowledge.  
A fool may well perceive the things the which concluded be: 
Cicero.   
But wise men of the things to come as plainly judge and see.   

¶ Of deffe and blind men.  
Such men as deffe or blind are born more pure and perfect haue 
Mar: au:   
Their inward powers, because their sense of pleasures least do crave.   

Of vnsaciate desire  
Tis very rare and seldom seen 
Alexseue.  where honor doth increase:  
Or riches do abound or flow that avarice there can seize.   

¶ Of leisure.  
The tract of time or leisure doth engender perfect skill: 
Aristot:   
And prudence and experience both of the wit and will.   

¶ Of advisement.  
The man doth seldom fall or slip which feareth for to fall: 
Marcus aure.   
Because in every step, he takes advisement there withall.   

¶ Of vain men.  
Uayne men be known by vttrance of their words, which likewise vain 
Thales.   
do vainly show the vain delights their foolish hartes retain.   

¶ whereto man is made.  
By natures craft we are not taught as though that we were made 
Cicero.   
To solace, but to gravity if it be wisely wayde.   

¶ Of forecast.  
Like as a stroke well spied, may be received with better ease: 
Aristot:   
So he that doth forecast his harms his troubles may appease.   

¶ Of our life and death.  
mankind from whence we take our breath so wicked is and ill:  
And eke the world wherein we live so full of rainging will:  
And last the gliding serpent which impoysned Fortune hight:  
Doth with hir feet and nails & teeth, so kick and scratch and bite. 
Mar: au:   
That nothing is more amorous or pleasant to the hart:  
Of wise men, then to die in God and from this world depart.   

¶ Of Correction.  
Correction done with gentleness doth easily persuade:  
But with extreamenes moves ill will, 
Seneca.  the stomach to invade.   

¶ Of a King.  
A king should be of courage good, and of a courteous hart:  
And free, and with great pain devise to execute his parte.  
And should refrayn himself from wrath 
Plutarch  and bridle him from ire:  
But should with measure use it, where occasion doth require.  
And if it chanceth that his force or fortune do decay:  
Yet should his courage still increase and not to wear away.   

¶ Of shane.  
It is a shane for any man to honor to attain: 
Anacar:   
By birth, and not desarue the same by good and virtuous pain.   

¶ Of secrets.  
The man is wise which can refrain and keep his secrets close:  
But he a fool who doth his trust 
Seneca▪  to every man depose.   

¶ Of counsel.  
For diuers services a man may make a meet reward:  
But for good counsel given to him 
Mar: au:  the same is very hard.   

¶ Of the Lawe.  
The prince that makes his realm to be a subject to his lawe:  
Doth reign in peace because he makes his people live in awe. 
justinian   
But he that doth reject his laws from out his realm, doth cast  
himself from out his seat therwith and all things brings to waste.   

¶ Of all injuries.  
By two perverse and wrongful ways all injuries be wrought:  
Whether they be retaynde by force or else by wrong are sought.  
The one is by withholding that 
Pithago:  which is anothers right:  
The other by extorting ought which is an open spite.  
¶ If thou the truth of any thing wouldst very fain descry: 
Socrates.   
give little credite to thine ear but trust unto thine eye.   

¶ Of the wrathful.  
The man that is a slave to wrath or bondman to his ire:  
Hath neither power to rule his wit 
Socrates.  nor bridle his desire,   

¶ Of early rising.  
To rise from sluggish sleep betimes and long there from to stay: 
Plato.   
Maintaynes the health of man, the wit and senses from decay.   

¶ Of wisdom.  
wisdom is the perfect skill of matters be divine: 
Aristot:   
As also knowledge of the things that nature doth assign   

¶ Of honest living.  
That man of honor doth desarue and worship most his part:  
And liveth most aright in earth and best employs his hart.  
Which hath a conscience uncorrupt and feareth God aright: 
Mar: au:   
And is a friend unto his friend, and bears his foe no spite.  
And temperate is of words & works not covetous of famed:  
And in his person restfull is such man deserves no blame.   

¶ Of a whore.  
A fair whore sweet poison is 
Chilon.  which by hir privy watch:  
The simpleness of foolish men 
Mar: au:  with subtle guile doth catch.   

¶ Of Obedience.  
The wicked man obeys for dread the good for perfect love: 
Aristot   
Whose true obedience firmly stands and never doth remove.   

¶ Of trouble.  
even as the master by course exspectes for storm and wind  
After calm weather, so likewise the prosprous quiet mind  
Should after ease, misdoubt the more 
Plut.  his troubles to ensue:  
Thus doing, after such mishap his comfort may renew.   

¶ Of womens wrath.  
The serpents head most subtle is and wicked, but the ire 
Iesussy.   
Of women, passeth every wrath that burns in furies fire.   

¶ Of the learned virtuous man.  
The man which learning hath adioynd with virtue seemeth pure 
Plato.   
And perfect clean and excellent and constant firm and sure.   

¶ Of Sciences.  
Like as the little bees do suck the flowers that be most sweet: 
Plato.   
So men should those of sciences the science is most meet.   

Of womens counsel.  
No man more ignorant doth seem or foolish is then he: 
Socrates   
Who by a womans counsel seeks advised for to be.   

How to live well.  
If thou wouldst move thy wicked flesh to live in godly plight:  
Then let thy mind consider these and judge of them a right.  
Howe painful the reward of sin 
Plato.  is after this thy life:  
Howe vain and frustrate is the world replete with vering strife.  
How brief and short it is, how fonde the pleasures of the same:  
And how inuirond of thy foes thou art, which seek thy shane.  
And last how death uncertainly by diuers ways doth watch:  
How that in privy sudden time vnwares he may thee catch.   

Of a virtuous heart.  
Like as a precious ston doth shine 
Plato.  and glitter in a ring:  
So doth a heart in virtue set excel each other thing.   

¶ Of our corrupt nature.  
We virtue much desire to haue 
Marcus aureli.  but yet our works intend  
To 'vice, and wickedness, and ill: and to no other end.   

¶ Of measure in speech.  
The prudent man demanded of 
Proteg.  a question, answers small:  
The foolish man without remorse doth prate and babbell all.   

¶ Of our state.  
As sone as man is born on earth the same for to possess: 
Marcus aure.   
Death likewise issueth therewithal his life for to suppress.   

¶ Of friends duties.  
friends ought to be like horses good and haue a little head:  
By humble conversation for scorn must clean be fled. 
Marcus aure.   
And quick of hearing to the end they may obey the call:  
And soft of mouth because their tongs should never slip nor fall.  
And hard of hoof that they may bear great travail to sustain:  
And sure of foot they may not start for labour nor for pain.  
And of a colour bay that they may win renown and famed:  
And so should friends employ themselves their love and lives to frame.   

¶ Of charity.  
charity is a good effect or passion of the mind:  
whereby the heart of man estemes such things as be assigned. 
Hermes   
For the perseverance of the fear and love of God before  
The valour of each worldly thing or heaps of earthly store.   

¶ Of vain benefits.  
The man which to the wilful fool doth study to do good:  
Shall gain as much as if he gave a strangers dog his food. 
Socrates   
The which will bark and bite as well the feeder as the rest:  
Although he give him of his meate the daintyest and the best.   

¶ Of a nigardes alms.  
The goodness which procedes from him which in good deeds is slow:  
Is like the herbs the which by chance 
Hermes:  vpon a dunghill grow.   

¶ Of a learned prince.  
Unto a common wealth or realm a learned prince or king:  
Is happiest stay unto the same 
Aristip:  surpassing every thing.   

¶ What is our best knowledge.  
The greatest learning we can haue or perfect purest skill: 
Alex: se   
That we by knowledge may possess is to vnlearne our ill.   

¶ Of three encumbrances.  
No men more ignorant be then they that trust unto their wits:  
None so uncertain as the fools 
Socrates  that stand to fortunes fits.  
But none so cumbered or diseasde or troubled more with strife  
Then he that hath, against his will a brawling wicked wife.   

¶ Of death.  
As kindly as it is for age to follow youthful race: 
Hermes   
So after age ensueth death even in as kindly case.   

Of a beautiful fool.  
A fool that is well favoured 
Dioge.  or decked with bewties cost:  
Is like a pleasant house wherein doth dwell a froward host.   

Of fear fullness or timorosity.  
Ne strength ne bigness doth prevail in him that fearful is: 
Plut.   
And therfore each thing he attempts by force must fare amis.   

¶ Of virtue and 'vice.  
Like as the sight or clean prospect or clearness of the eye:  
Can not at once both things above 
Hermes  and things beneath descry.  
even so the heart with all his pain his knowledge and his skill:  
Can not at once apply himself both unto good and ill.   

¶ Of perfect good.  
Of all such store or riches as by right we goods do call:  
The virtues of the soul be best 
Pithago  and richest goods of all.   

¶ Of the weariness of nature.  
There is no thing so perfect good so pure or perfect wise:  
But tract of time doth cause us loathe and utterly despise. 
Hermes:   
For such is foolishness of man that that which most he may:  
He least estemes, but that which least he holdeth for a pray.   

¶ Of abstinence.  
As men be wary to receive and dainty for to take  
Unholesome meats, least that their health 
Socrates  of body should a slake.  
So likewise should they warily from 'vice and sin abstain:  
That they thereby may likewise shun the souls eternal pain.   

¶ Howe to see and perseaue folly in a man.  
As when a foggy mist doth hid the fair and pleasant beams  
Of Titans beauty, and obscures the skies with pitchy streams.  
Each form therein more greater seems 
Socrates  and fuller doth appear:  
Then when such foulness worn away the skies be clean and clear.  
So likewise 'vice that settled is and nos●… ed in the heart:  
Is most perceued in ugly wrath when fury plays his parte.   

Of the lazy life.  
The lingering lazy life wherein to much of ease depends: 
Aristot.   
Is most unready to forbear●… when fortune backward bends.   

How to make of foes friends.  
Either with meekness overcome the man which thou hast made 
Plato.   
Thy foe, or else with benefits his envy over lad.   

How to disclose our secrets.  
To such as well thou knowst with ease thou mayst thy trust repose: 
Zenopho   
But to the man to thee unknown no secret do disclose.   

How to trust.  
To try and then to trust thou mayst in trusting think thee sure:  
But first to trust before to try 
Dioge.  repentance will procure.   

Of pride.  
Of young men pride should be eschewd of old men pride disdaynde: 
Alexseue.   
And last of all men pride suspect and carefully restayned.   

Of the eyes offence.  
The eye could never once offend if ruled by the mind 
Cicero.   
it were, but deal aright in that which du●… ty hath assigned.   

Of fruitless labour.  
Attempt not diuers things at once for they will all decay: 
Thesille.   
Through disagreement of themselves and thou shalt haue no stay.   

Of deliberate speaking.  
First think, then speak, & last fulfil,  
Let words be ruled by thought: 
Zenopho:   
And after words employ thy will that promise may be wrought.   

Of worldly pleasures.  
The worldly man that seeks for fonde 
Hermes●…  and worldly vain delight:  
Doth hunt a shadow which is sone dispersed and out of sight.   

¶ Of advice in all things.  
The man which wisely takes advice in every work or deed: 
Titus li ●… ius.   
Shall never live for to repent nor to bewail his need.   

¶ Of wits exercise.  
As brass or steel do glister more in beauty of their kind:  
The more that they be worn, & more to brightness are inclined. 
Plato.   
So wits which exercised be and practysde with good use:  
Are taught the more to goodness, and are kept from ill abuse.   

¶ Of malice.  
As he that wounded is doth live in great disease and pain.  
So likewise he is sick in soul 
Hermes.  who malice bears in brain.   

¶ Of reason and knowledge.  
Like as a captain rules his host devoid of any strife: 
Plato.   
So reason knit with knowledge leads and guides the happy life.   

¶ Of wisdom.  
even as a plough doth roote the thorns and thistles from the ground: 
Hermes▪   
So wisdom purgeth every place where 'vice doth most abound.   

¶ Of gold.  
As by the touchstone gold is tried so man is tried by gold: 
Pitthago   
The which directly doth his price and valour well unfold.   

¶ Of aduancement.  
By nature all men equal be by fortune some advanced:  
And some suppressed, let him therfore whom fortune hath enhaunst  
In his supremicy beware 
〈◇〉.  and wisely be aduysde:  
Least that in midst of lofty fate his fortune be dispysde▪  
For who by fortunes favor gettes to live in happy plight:  
By fortunes anger is addict to purchase fortunes spite.   

¶ Of hope and life.  
Hope is in life and life must die which hope must think upon:  
In life, for when the life is past 
justin.  the hope is also gone.   

¶ Of knowledge.  
That realm in poverty doth liu●… in famine and in dearth: 
Socrates   
whereas intelligence is scant the king of heaven and earth.   

¶ Of a vicious man.  
Like as one branch of any three if it be set on fire:  
Will kindle all the rest therof presuming to the hier. 
Socrates   
even so one wicked man with 'vice corrupted▪ will defile  
A great convent except he sone be put unto exile.   

¶ Of envy.  
The greatest poison of despite and envy most is owde: 
Seneca   
To those on whom the benefits of fortune are bestowed.   

¶ Of wine and women.  
That man the which in women hath and wine his chief delight: 
Chilen.   
Can neither store possess, nor health, nor wit, nor manly might.   

¶ Of foresight.  
To see it is a common thing which most men do retain: 
Zenopho.   
But to foresee a seldom thing which sight is in the brain.   

Of superfluous praters.  
As empty vessels loudest sound and make the greatest noise: 
Socrat.   
So simplo wits do most abound to prate with loudest voice.   

Of envious men.  
even as a sick man healed is and cured of his sore:  
By virtue of the medcine good 
Socrat.  which physic doth restore.  
Likewise of envious men the hot and great consuming rage:  
Good laws with remedy do serve severely to assuage.   

Of hasty attempts.  
The greatest foolishness in men which is the greatest fault: 
Socrat.   
Is hastily without remorse His doings to assault.   

Of things surpassing our capasitie.  
It is a folly for a man and thing exceeding vain: 
besiege.   
In weighty matters which surpasss his wit, to use his pain.   

¶ Of the greatest shane.  
Of all reproach or infamy it is the greatest shane:  
An old man for to be vnlearnde 
Socrat.  which most deserveth blame.   

¶ Of a fool.  
A brutish beast more better is unto a common wealth:  
Then is a fool, whose simplo wit can further no mans health. 
Mar: au▪   
For Oren labour on the earth and Asses serve our need:  
But fools devoid of fruitful sense can do no such good deed.   

¶ Of tender age.  
What thing a man in tender youth hath practised in ure:  
He shal retain the very same in age till death be sure.  
Who therfore in his age would fain 
Euripi des.  be glad good fruits to mow:  
Must in his youth apply himself good wholesome seeds to sow.   

¶ Of Death.  
Death is a thing which no mans wit can compass to eschew: 
Pithago.   
And therfore should the less be feared because the same is true.   

¶ Of sorrow.  
sorrow to solitariness is cousin and the heir 
Mar: au▪   
To utter desolation and comfortless despair.   

¶ Of a sad countenance.  
A grievous countenance doth bewray the sorrows of the heart: 
Socrat.   
And shows the spirit to be inwrapt in grief and inward smart.   

¶ Of Obedience.  
Of every quality the which commodity doth bring: 
Hermes.   
Obedience soonest love obtaynes before each other thing.   

¶ Of charity.  
As fire is an instrument which many things invade:  
Before they can receive their end or thoroughly be made.  
So charity determines still the truth of every deed:  
That ther without no honest work or thought may once proceed.   

Of the tongue or words.  
By the disposing of the tongue there is a trial true:  
To know how the disposer can 
Socrat.  his fleshly lusts subdue.  
For he that can not bridle words according as he list:  
Hath much less power to bridle lusts or appetites resist.   

Of contented riches.  
He is not rich which hath great store but he which is content: 
Socrat.   
Whose state de●… ayeth not although his riches clean be spent.   

Of good advice.  
As a physician can not cure 
Hermes.  nor heal his pacients sore:  
Except the cause of his disease he thoroughly know before.  
So can no man impart advice or counsel well to thee:  
Except the full of thy complaint he do peruse and see.   

¶ Of worldly care.  
He is not wise which well doth know this world he must depart: 
Pithago   
And yet to worldly things employs his care and painful hart.   

¶ Of the worlds misery.  
In this same vale of misers, none can perfect rest attain:  
Nor yet enjoy though he haue reaped 
Seneca.  the profits of his pain.   

¶ Of a kings duty, written by Claudianus a famous poet.  
Though that thy power and prows stretch unto the world his end:  
And through at large in every place and province do extend.  
And though thou rulest the heavy charge 
Seneca.  of rich Arabias might:  
Of ceres, Medea, and the rest and hast in Indea right.  
If fear thy honor interrupt or small things thee offend:  
Or to desire which is corrupt thy fancy do intend.  
Thou art in bondage as a slave thy honor then doth fall:  
Thy glory and famed suppressed is and clean defaced all.  
And thou shalt rightly be esteemed as worthy for to reign:  
When thou art ruler of thyself and fliest all disdain.  
For evil custom had in ure doth bring in filthy use:  
That virtue clean refused is and brought into abuse.  
And wanton licence doth intend great folly to 'allure:  
And still pursuit of wanton sects doth want only procure.  
Set not thy fancy therfore still to live in great delight:  
Least that thy foolishness of will do work thee further spite.  
And if that lust or hasty wrath thy stomach do assail:  
Subdne occasion, which subdewd thyself shall then prevail.  
What thou mayst do crave not to know but what becomes thee best:  
keep courage, low, & always think that measure is a feast:  
lieu well thy subiects and provide the meanest to maintain:  
devise thy wealth and let them all Be partners of thy gain.  
Be not addict to parcialnes except it do pretend  
Thy whole estate of commons all and people to defend.  
For by ensample of thyself they be informed all:  
And both in virtue and in 'vice with thee they rise and fall.  
For laws and statutes haue no force nor any thing prevail:  
But as a ball the people turn which every way doth fail.  
And if the ruler in his life and living be not stable:  
Both law and counsel sone are changed and turned into a fable.   

¶ Of meek witted men.  
It is a seldom thing to find though labour long do seek: 
Hermes.   
A man that doth abound in wit and therewithal is meek.   

¶ How to know a wise man.  
A wiseman well may be discernde by slackness unto ire:  
And by refraining of his will and bridling his desire. 
Seneca.   
And by the little pride that he conceiveth of the famed:  
Or good report referde to him though he deserve the same.   

¶ Of honor and riches.  
Riches moves a wanton will and lecherousnes provokes: 
Dioge.   
And honor, worship and renown, of malice be the cloaks.   

¶ Of a good law.  
A law well made with good aduise is a most happy thing: 
Socrates   
A standard staying right and truth and an immortal king.   

¶ Of the proof of good counsel.  
The man which counsels other well unto himself doth gain  
A good report and pleasant praise 
Isocrat▪  for such his happy pain.   

¶ Of well doing.  
If thou wouldst labour to do well 
Marcus aure.  endeavour to do so:  
As thou therfore mayst spited be of him that is thy foe.   

¶ Of Ignorance.  
The man that knows not what he seeks in seeking that is scant: 
Socrat.   
Can never know to find the things the which his case doth want.   

¶ Of evil life.  
The man deserves not for to live whose life doth not intend: 
Dioge.   
To seek for virtue and provide his 'vice for to amend.   

¶ Of learning and knowledge.  
The gain of knowledge & the proof 
Alexseue.  of cunning still doth stay:  
When substance fails and goods decrease and fortune flytes away.   

¶ Of scornful men.  
A scornful man can nere be good or perfect faithful friend: 
Marcus aureli.   
But wavering still provoked by pride as time will prove in end.   

¶ Of liberty.  
Where liberty doth overflow tis hard the heart to tame:  
But that affection will be bold 
Aristot:  for to enure the same.  
provide therfore to bridle will and appetite in time:  
Least after custom thou be backte and nos●… ed in thy crime.   

¶ Of friendship.  
A man may many friends retain 
Pitthago  and louers not haue scant:  
And yet when cause doth raise a proof he shall of friendship want.   

¶ Of discord.  
even as a little spark of fire proceeds to greater light: 
Plato.   
If it approach to place where wind recovereth up his might.  
So discord secretly begon persevering more and more:  
Will at the last appear in sight though it was hide before.   

¶ Of concord.  
That realm or place which is addornd with concord and with peace, 
Pithago   
By force must prosper and small things do grow to great in crease:  
But where these two abandond bee ther doth abound decay,  
And great and mighty matters melt and vanish clean away.   

¶ Of frequenting thy friends house.  
Haunt not to much thy kinsmans house for that doth hatred move,  
Nor tarry not to long from traverse 
Aristip  for that suspectes thy love:  
But use a mean therein and so thou friendship shall maintain  
For it is good for to receive, but not in croche a gain.   

¶ Of vows.  
Make little vows but if a cause compel thee vows to frame: 
Pomp●… y ●… s.   
With earnest diligence provide for to performue the same.   

¶ Of superfluous curiosity.  
Be swift for to subdue the 'vice thy stomach doth assault: 
Plato.   
But slow to seek and understand or search of others fault.   

¶ Of good and ill.  
There is but one especial way that doth to goodness lead: 
Hermes   
To ill a thousand paths pertain which inconvenience breed.   

¶ Of the diversity of disceites.  
As diuers poisons disagree in practise and in ure:  
So much that one can well suffice the other for to cure. 
Seneca▪   
So likewise vices and disceites in their effect discent:  
And be as diuers to defraud and diversly be spent.   

¶ How to purchase famed.  
If that thou seekest to obtain a good report or famed:  
Thou must attempt such virtuous deeds 
Pitthago  as may deserve the same.  
And if thou knowst a man hath got as worthy great dispraise:  
To get thyself a better name thou must avoyde his ways.   

¶ Of an evil wife.  
None is so perilous a foe which fiercely maintaynes strife: 
Mar: au:   
Unto a man, then is a shrew or else an evil wife.   

¶ What best becomes a woman.  
The needefulst virtues that behoves a woman to retain:  
Is for to bridle raging lust 
Hermes▪  and tikkle tongue refrain.   

¶ Of gentleness.  
The man that useth gentleness 
Aristot:  in his superior state:  
Can never reap an ill report nor shane, nor purchase hate.   

¶ How te instruct youth.  
Like as the men which bring up colts and wanton horses tame:  
Unto the bit and bridle first 
Seneca▪  do chiefly train the same.  
So they that youth instruct must first if they would haue them broken:  
Teach them to moderate their tongue and leave their ears wide open.   

¶ Of well doing.  
As thou wouldst other men to work thy wealth and not thy pain 
Alex: se   
So do to them, and deal aright with other men again.   

¶ Of wine.  
By wine the beauty is defaste and age deformed more, 
Isocrat.   
And that forgot which crste was had and kept with wary store.   

¶ Of a licentious tongue.  
A tongue the which of wickedness doth babble out his fill: 
Plato.   
Is a sustayner of the lust, and norisher of will.   

¶ Of goods ill gotten.  
The treasures which a man by fraud and falsehood doth augment,  
By such collusion ill are got 
Hermes.  and worse are they spent:  
Who therfore to be rich in store doth purpose and intend,  
Ought trewlie riches for to win and dewlye them to spend.   

Of foul language.  
The man which is of beauty full And utters filthy breath, 
Aris●… ip:   
Doth draw aswoorde compact of led, out of an yuerie sheathe.   

¶ Of Lust.  
yf thou wouldst think of man how much his nature doth excel,  
Supposing thus thou shouldst perceive 
Cicero.  and understand it well:  
How much unnatural it is for man for to abuse  
himself by lust, and howe divine the same for to refuse.   

¶ Of a fools good fortune.  
Ther can not bee a thing which man may suffer more with pain,  
Or matter harder to forbear 
Socrat.  or lesser to sustain:  
Then for to see a fool advanced or sit in high estate,  
Whom foolish fortune hath inhaunste to vndeserued fate.   

¶ Of the pleasure in money.  
It is a pleasure perilous which worketh heavy spite.  
For man to pleasure in his goods or money to delight. 
Plutarch   
For none is in a surer state or hath less cause to crave:  
Then the contented whom it doth suffice the least to haue.   

¶ Of man and money.  
It is a better thing for man of money for to want: 
Pithago.   
Then that the money should abonnd and that the man be scant.   

¶ Of the end.  
The end of every thing is proof and trial of the same:  
And the beginning must forecast the things a man would frame. 
Socrat.   
If therfore thou woldst haue thy works to grow to fruitful end:  
Thou must begin with willing heart the things thou dost pretend.  
For the beginning is the chief whereto thy wisest pain  
Must be referred, but still the end is hardest to attain.   

¶ Of authority.  
desire not with hawty mind to rule and bear a sway: 
Pithago:   
Before thou learned hast the skill and cunning to obey.   

¶ Of time.  
The man that trusteth unto time is ere beguiled still: 
Seneca.   
Let therfore no time pass to far but guide it by thy will.   

¶ Of a dissembler.  
The moths corrupt th● clothes, & worms with canker pierce the bone:  
But one dissembler may beguile 
Mar: au:  the total world alone.   

¶ Of advisement.  
To take advisement is a good 
Alex: se  and requisite delay:  
which maintains profit & preserves endeavours from decay.   

¶ Of the body.  
The fairest body lives in earth if it be wayde aright: 
Cicero.   
Is nothing but a dunghill clad with colours of delight.   

¶ Of counterfeit things or fraud.  
No thing which counterfeited is illusion so can fain,  
But to his proper substance will in end return again: 
Aulus gel●… sus.   
do therfore nothing with disobeyed nor by dissemblynge trade,  
Least th● when time bewrays, the same unto thy blame be made.   

¶ Of a Souldiers dewtye.  
It death behove a soldier beste in battle or in fight,  
That he do trust more to his wit 
Zenoph.  and pollisye then might,  
For wit in scyrmyshe profits fare and warres doth more prevail,  
Thē strength of thousands which by force great dayngers may assail.   

Of 'vice or wickedness.  
Let nether onse thy hands to work nor heart nor yet thy will, 
Zenophon   
To think nor yet thy ears to here the thing is nought and ill.   

¶ Of the hartes disease.  
The heart is never vexed so much nor so seuerelye paynde.  
As when by force from wished things 
Alexse  the stomach is refraynde.   

Of a friend.  
A friend can nere be knoune but when occasion doth require 
Anacar.   
For in thy wealth each man will crouch and kreepe to thy desire.   

Of ydellnes.  
Ydellnes is of living men a grave and doth supply 
Anacar   
The sepulchre wherein the mind and body both do die.   

Of curiosytye.  
Presume not overmuch to check nor curiously to blame,  
Another man least to thyself 
Socrat.  thou purchase more defame.   

Of vicious rulers.  
like as a broken crazed ship the which doth water drink,  
Not only drowns herself but all 
Socrates.  that ar in her do sink,  
And thereby goods and ship and men ar broughe unto decay,  
And nothing for the force of waves 
Hermes  can get to scape away.  
So rulers which abound in 'vice as wickedly intend:  
To bring themselves and subiects all to wrack and evil end.   

¶ Of man and his soul.  
The most exceeding thing in earth is man, that God hath made  
Whose soul his chiefest riches is for all things else do vade.  
By which he imitates the truth 
Hermes  and iustice doth assign:  
And is provoked to the things immortal and divine.   

¶ Of worldly men.  
The man that to the world is bent with him it can not fail:  
But one of these ensuing things his state doth still assail. 
Socrat.   
Either displeasure of his God to purchase or obtain:  
Great spite of mightier men then he which is a fruitless gain.   

¶ Of a happy realm.  
Most happy is that realm or place 
Plato.  that city or that town:  
wherein a governor doth rule which 'vice suppresseth down.   

¶ Of mercy and iustice.  
If that a king be merciful his state shall prosper well:  
And get him succour in his need 
Marcus aureli.  because he is not fell.  
And if he iustice do frequent his state shall not decay:  
But for his wisdom be beloved and bear continual sway.   

¶ Of the ancestors.  
The honor of the ancestors and their deserved famed: 
Mar: au   
Do leave their children after them great treasure by the same.   

¶ Of friendship and iustice.  
No friendship nor no iustice may be well retaynde of those: 
Zenopho●…   
Betwixt whom nothing common is but be as utter foes.   

¶ Of wisdom.  
If that thou wouldst to every thing adjoin the thing is fit:  
Thou must endeavour to adjoin 
Plato.  some wisdom to thy wit.   

¶ Of 〈◇〉 men.  
A wise man wisely must suppose and ponder so in all: 
Aristot   
That he may think his error great But wisdom very small.   

¶ Of learning.  
It is no shane for any man though age his yeres possess: 
〈◇〉.   
To learn, or take an offered thing in need, or in distress.   

¶ Of instruction.  
Instruction given unto a fool or one that is unwise: 
besiege.   
Doth make him stiffer in conceit and fonder in devise.   

¶ Of truth and error.  
When error is bewrayde by time and wilfulness descried: 
Plato.   
Then doth the truth appear the more by such a lucky tide.   

¶ Of fools and wise men.  
A fool in fellowship of fools is hardly to be shown: 
Marcus aureli.   
And wise in wise mens company is scantly to be known.   

¶ Of ignorant men.  
The boldness which vnskilfull men retain in their conceit: 
Socrat.   
Is that which most do let their wits and them of skill defeat.   

¶ Of fear or doubt.  
There is nothing so certain thought or counted so much sure: 
Marcus aureli.   
But fear in hope doth somewhat doubt the same for to procure.   

¶ Of fear.  
where fear abounds or doubt disturbs the heart, no quiet plight  
Can rest therein but it abates 
Mar: au  the courage and the might.   

¶ Of virtue.  
Except that man be wholly bent and unto virtue prest: 
Plutare   
He little differs from a swine or else a brutish beast.   

¶ Of good men.  
Tis the property of good men not onely to be glad  
At their own wealth, but when the like 
Socrat.  of other men is had.   

¶ Of an evil life.  
That man doth lead an evil life which many do bewail: 
Anaxa goras.   
rejoicing at his death or harm or when his state doth fail.  
¶ It is the greatest sin in earth for man to seek a praise 
Marcus aureli.   
By feigned virtue and deceit, and fraud, to guide his ways.   

¶ Of goodness and wickedness.  
As to the good the goodness is a requisite reward: 
Hermes   
So evil men, their wickedness doth seem to punish hard.   

¶ Of faithfulness and truth.  
Be ready to retain the truth and faithfulness to hold: 
Socrat.   
For he that is a faithful friend is better much then gold.   

¶ Of love.  
love well, and loving well be bold to seal it in thy blood: 
Plato.   
For virtue void of love may not be pure and perfect good.   

¶ Of charity.  
charity is of such effect if thou it wisely scan: 
S●… lon.   
That ther without no mortal wight can be a perfect man.   

¶ Of a liberal heart.  
It is the property of him that hath a liberal heart  
Rather to crave a good renown 
Seneca.  then money haue his parte.   

¶ Of giving and receiving.  
If thou receive a benefit do thankfully requited:  
And seek to give again to him according to thy might. 
〈◇〉 li uius.   
And when thou genest be content the same for to bestow:  
And so in giving shalt thou find the gain to thee will grow.   

¶ Of a faithful friend.  
The friend that is a faithful friend, and mindes a true pretence: 
Mar: au   
Is he who quickly can forget and pardon an offence.   

¶ Of the wilful man.  
The man that to his wilful will is wilfully inclined: 
Plato.   
Is likewise bound the wrath of God as vehemently to find.   

¶ Of envy.  
Like as no shadow can be seen in place where is no light. 
Plut.   
So where as wealth aboundeth not no envy shows despite.   

¶ Of thretninge.  
It is a womans fantasy and point of folly great, 
Pithago   
For men by hot outrageous words his enemy to threat.   

¶ How to delay spite or grudge.  
The man which reasonable is and sober in request, 
Pithago   
May soon appease his foes despite, and set his hart at rest.   

¶ Of wariness.  
A man with wariness his deeds, and works must wisely use, 
Pithago   
Least for his fooe he take his friend and friend for fooe abbuse.   

¶ Howe to praise.  
Praise not to much least thou hast need thy praise for to redress, 
Mar: au   
learn therfore little for to praise but yet to dispraise less.   

¶ Of sorrow.  
There is no torment nor disease which doth so fiercely rage:  
But tract of time with easy proof may make the same assuage. 
Hermes   
And every grief that doth upbraid a damage or a pain  
By patience well forborn, in end will turn unto a gain.   

¶ Of vain glory.  
It is a foolishness of man to challenge for his parte 
Dioge.   
A praise, the which to other men is due by their desert.   

¶ Of the misers sorrow.  
No mortal more in cares is frounced and sorrows is ytost: 
Mar: au   
Then is the avaricious wretch when he his goods hath lost.   

¶ Of masters.  
The gentlest masters commonly which gentleness frequent:  
Haue servants which be contrary of nature and intent.  
But sturdy masters do compel the same to bow at beck:  
And every little wink pretends to them a fearful check. 
Alex: se   
But if thou wouldst retain to thee a seruant which should use  
Thee well: thou likewise must beware least thou do them abuse.   

¶ Of servants.  
A servant both in word and deed ought onely to obey 
Socrat.   
Their masters: pondering well whereon a servants state doth stay.   

¶ Of labour and custom.  
If thou thy▪ self to labour and to travell wouldst invre: 
Alex: se   
Thou must enforce to customs course thy stomach to 'allure.   

¶ Of a womans duty.  
A woman if she would avoyde an ill suspicious name:  
Must sone be ready to conceive of evil things a shane.  
And in hir speech for to be slow yet temperate in hir tongue: 
Alex. se   
And wise of wit, and in hir deeds to offer none a wrong.  
And sober in hir gestures all and conuersytion meek:  
And low of heart, but of disdain and envy for to seek.  
And steadfast in hir promise made and constant in hir love:  
That nothing may distemper it or cause it to remove.  
And in correction pitiful regarding well hir life:  
For these adorn the virgins state and bewtify the wife.   

¶ Of thankfulness.  
It is a common needful thing and every bodies parte: 
Alex: se   
For to be grateful to his friend and haue a thankful hart.   

¶ Of the husband.  
The best behaviour that doth move a woman to be chased:  
Is for hir husband to conceane 
Socrat.  no jealousy in hast.  
But to be true and chast himself and constant in his mind:  
And by example all these things in hir shal be assignoe.   

¶ Of good and wise men.  
That man may well be counted good and be esteemed wise:  
Who doth reform his wanton tongue 
Plato.  unto his good devise.   

¶ Of silence.  
By silence the discretion of the silent, thou mayst deme, 
Pithago.   
And silence used in a fool doth make him witty seem.   

¶ Of flattery.  
Nether endeavour to ensue a flatterer for to be: 
Seneca.   
Nor that thyself be not abused by flattry likewise see.   

¶ f scorn.  
scorn not another man for that he falleth to decay:  
Or doth sustain unhappy chance when fortune flittes away. 
Cicero.   
But take thou hede by his mishap to fall in like annoy:  
That thou by his unlucky fall may maintain more thy ioy.   

¶ Of hawty mindes.  
The haughty mindes that do ascend aloft to seek renown: 
Plato.   
Are most by fortune overthrown and clean suppressed down.   

¶ Of drunkenness.  
To view the foul defaced form of dronkerds beastly use: 
Anacar.   
Is readiest means for to 'allure the mind from such abuse.   

¶ Of covetousness.  
Like as a member which is vexed with itch or such disease:  
Hath always need for to be clawde 
Plutarch  the itching to appease.  
even so the mind with avarice infected and molest:  
Except it still receive a gain is never at his rest.   

¶ Of death.  
Death to the sorrowful is life 
Seneca.  and to the wealthy grief:  
And yet to every man by faith it is a good relief.   

¶ Of instruction.  
Thou oughst as much for to esteem the man that teacheth thee  
〈◇〉 word of wisdom, as the man 
Hom 〈◇〉:  promoting thy degree.   

¶ Of expenses.  
expenses small frequented much bring poverty in hast:  
learn therfore warily to spend●… 
Seneca.  but nothing for to wast.   

¶ Of substance.  
The greater wealth a man retaynes of substance or of store: 
Pitthago   
The less assured is his state but the uncertain more.   

¶ Of trial.  
endeavour for to try thy friends before thou art in need: 
Thales.   
And so thereafter to dispose through trial such thy deed.   

¶ Of dissembling.  
devise not for to seek thyself the same for to pretend:  
To which occasion may approve 
Thales  the contrary in end.   

¶ Of freendlines.  
If thou wouldst get a prop to thee 
Cliobilus.  or gain thy life a stay:  
Thou must be ready for to help another in decay:   

¶ Of importunatenes.  
Be not importunate for ought thy fancy may not get: 
Chilon.   
Nor let thy wit nor power assault the matters be to great.   

¶ Of mortal vexation.  
All things which mortal men desire by pain they are attaynde:  
And with great care when they are got they like wise are refraynde:  
But when occasion doth command 
Cicero.  they should therfore depart:  
Then is the greatest sorest grief and dolor in the heart.   

¶ Of good famed,  
A worthy famed so splendent is and beautiful of light: 
ptolemy.   
That though in darkness it bedrownde it can not lose his might.   

Of learning.  
Learning is unto the good a guider of his will: 
Gelasius.   
But to the wicked as a spur provoking him to ill.   

¶ Of the tongue and the heart.  
It is a common thing that when the stomach well is pleased:  
The tongue doth labour more then thought whereby the heart is easde. 
Marcus aure.   
But when the heart in heavy plight some sorrow doth sustain:  
The tongue can not express the care which lieth in the brain.   

¶ Of the apparel and speech.  
If that in silk or sattines fine or golden brave array:  
Thou decked art, devise thy speech to bear as equal sway.  
For either thou shouldst frame thy words 
Pithago  according to thy guise:  
Or else thy garments to thy words thou equal must devise.   

¶ Of superfluous talk.  
even as a vessel never can be full if it do leak:  
Or doth run out but still decays and more and more doth break. 
Seneca.   
So such as prate and babbell still and never do give ear:  
Can never wisdom learn because they never seek to hear.   

¶ Of slander and flattery.  
Of slaundrers well beware, and see thou flattrers do despise:  
If to thyself thou purchase would 
Dioge.  to be accounted wise.  
For neither tamed beast nor brute nor beast of savage kind:  
Do bite so niely, as this same doth pinch and pain the mind.  
Whose claws so tear and rankell all 
Theo frast.  they do attain to touch  
That better is it to be torn of beasts then caught of such.   

¶ Of the covetous man.  
Such men as miserly do live to die it is there best:  
Because the longer that they live the lesser is their rest. 
Seneca.   
For life doth lead the covetous their substance to increase:  
But death dischargeth them of care and lets them lie in peace.   

¶ Of foresight.  
It is the parte of him that seeks to be accounted wise:  
That he foresee his works with good 
Plato.  and diligent aduise.  
And when as things in adverse fate vnluckely do frame:  
It doth become the valiant well for to forbear the same.   

¶ Of an enemy.  
Beware of foes, when they with gloze declare a flattering face:  
For then he most doth seek thy harm in such a feigning case.  
For serpents never bite so sore 
Pithago  nor poysenously so sting:  
As when by soft and secret sort they bite before they sing.   

¶ Of the fear of death.  
wisdom by grace doth cause the hartes of all men to despise 
Hermes.   
The fear of death: for therwithout no mortal can be wise.   

¶ Of Death.  
Thou oughtst for to persuade thyself that death is all mens hire: 
Socrates.   
But yet no man can die so oft as some men do desire.   

¶ Of the fear of God.  
The fear of God so needful is of each to be retaynde:  
That therwithout no man is just 
Iesussy.  nor 'vice can be refraynde.   

¶ Of life and virtue.  
The lesser time to live, a man enjoys: the greater care  
He ought to haue, for to devise 
Dioge.  his virtue to declare.   

¶ Of fear.  
It is his best whom many fear he many fear again:  
Least lack of fear be sometime cause 
Aristip●…  he do incur a pain.   

¶ Of reproving.  
It is a great virtue and a thing which each man doth behove: 
Thales   
〈◇〉 those faults himself wherein he other doth reprove.   

¶ Of the uncertainty of time.  
If thou determine for to do 
Pithago.  some good, do not delay  
till morrow next, thou little knowst what thing may chance to day.   

¶ Of sin.  
sin plucks thy soul from God by force and therfore greatly fear 
Anacha   
To sin: because thy soul the shape of God should rightly bear.   

¶ Of a hard thing.  
It is the hardest thing in earth another for to tame.  
The man that frounsed in his sin is nos●… ed in the same.   

¶ Of a vain thing.  
To be inquisitive of that which nought doth appertain  
Unto thyself, doth well descry 
Hermes.  that thou art very vain.   

¶ Of wilful will.  
What doth it profit thee though thou an expert tongue possess:  
Or sense that rightly understands and rightly can express. 
Marcus aure.   
Or lively wit or memory, or perfect knowledge haue:  
Or science void of ignorance with all that thou canst crave.  
Or pleasant style and clo●… uence with every matters skill:  
If ther withall thou do retain a wicked wilful will.   

¶ Of a misery.  
If they be miserable men which serve a cruel lord:  
From whom in time they may depart though not with his accord. 
Aristot   
How much more wretched misers they which serve their 'vice and sin:  
From whom they cannot start nor fly, but fastened are therein.   

¶ Of good deeds done to the wicked.  
The man that riches doth bestow upon a wicked wight: 
Plutar   
Doth give a sick man store of wine which works him further syight.   

¶ Of foolish joys.  
It is a sign of courage weak when man doth hunt the ioy:  
The which in end and tract of time 
Pithago  doth turn to his annoy.   

¶ Of natures works.  
No wit is able to douise to make the matter strait: 
Alex. se   
Which nature with deformednes 
Alex. se  and crokednes doth frayght.   

¶ wherein honor consisteth.  
The right of honor in the wealth of worship doth not rest: 
Marcus aureli.   
But in the merites which deserve the same to be increased.   

¶ Of counsel taking.  
Though great abundance of thine ease and wealth thy state supply: 
Cicero.   
Yet counsel proffered unto thee in nowise do deny.   

¶ Of riches left to a waster.  
Like as an arrow which doth light upon a ston by chance:  
Because the ston doth softness want is forced therefrom to glannce.  
even so the riches given to him which wanteth wary wit:  
To rule the same, is given in vain 
Socrat.  and is a gift unfit.  
For by his negligence his store can take no tack nor stay:  
But by consumption is dispersed and brought unto decay.   

¶ Of the force of riches.  
even as a golden, bridle set with pearl or precious ston:  
Doth serve to garnish every horse it is bestowed vpon.  
But cannot make the horse to be 
Plato.  of any better kind:  
Or courage, then if no such cost upon him were assigned.  
So riches given unto a man do bewtify his fate:  
But haue no power to make him good or better in his state.   

¶ Of constant love.  
That love is constant firm and sure, 
Mar: au  whereas two bodies be  
But one especial loving heart which jointly doth agree.   

¶ Of gifts well employed.  
A liberal gift employed well doth yield the giver gain: 
Aristot:   
But he that gives without remorse doth reap his proper pain.   

¶ Of corrupt customs.  
Whereas the customs be rorrupt there liberty should cease: 
Mar: au   
For lewdness used overmuch abuseth friendly peace.   

¶ Of will.  
Though will be bridled with a cord and tamed with a whip: 
Alex se   
Yet will endeavours what he can out of his yoke to slip.   

¶ Of a friend.  
Admit no stranger for thy friend 
Aristot.  and warily eschew  
The man unknown, for fear of that which therof may ensue.   

¶ Of anger.  
Though anger nere so much a while with foolyshnes do rage: 
Plato.   
Yet easy tide in tract of time doth clearly it assuage.   

¶ Of wrath.  
And yet though wrath is stayed, th● shane 
I Socrat  therof will never cease:  
For wrath, reuenge, and angers thrall, do lead it in a lease. 
〈◇〉 uius.    

¶ Of spite and envy.  
It is unpossible for spite or envy gain to find:  
For spite is clokt before the eyes and envy clean is blind.   

¶ Of malicious words.  
Malicious words discover all the malice of the mind: 
Aristot:   
Let therfore reason rule thy tongue so shalt thou favor find.   

¶ Of the travels of life and death.  
The travels of the life are sore and painful very straight: 
Mar: au   
But yet the pains of death are more and of a greater weight.   

¶ Of virtuous.  
The fruit of wisdom and the flower of honor must be found  
In men, the which disposed well 
Seneca.  in virtue do abound.  
For virtue far excels the store Of silver and of gold  
The which the evil commonly desire to haue in hold.   

¶ Of truth and time.  
Although thou mayst a while keep close thy sin and well provide 
Plato.   
That by thy subtlety the same may scantly be descried.  
Yet truth at last will clean bewray thy wickedness in time: 
Plut.   
The which hath sworn for to detect each falsehood, sin and crime.   

¶ Of wealth.  
The purchasing of wealth is not so pleasant to the heart: 
Aristot.   
As it is death unto the same therefrom for to depart.   

¶ Of virtue.  
If that in virtue thou delight to use thy busy pain:  
The pain departeth but the fruits of virtue will remain. 
Musonius.   
But if thou pleasure in the thing which wicked is and ill:  
Thy pleasure doth abate, but pain is bent to tarry still.   

¶ Of feigned friends.  
The friends whom profit doth 'allure or lucre doth increase:  
When substance faileth ther withall their freendlines doth cease. 
Socrates   
But friends which linked are in hart with faithfulness and love:  
Ne fear, ne fortune, ne mischance, ne rigor may remove.   

¶ Of too much escrutiositie.  
If thou wouldst not thy travell haue or labour to be vain:  
Wish no such secret things whereto 
Hermes.  thy will may not attain.  
For thou thyself and other none art causer of thy let:  
If that thy travell may not reach thou labour for to get.   

¶ Of strikinge.  
If that another thou meanste to strike 
Pithago  suppose thou wouldst defend  
thyself, if he to strike again did purpose or intend.   

¶ Of chorlish nature.  
Of chorlish nature churlish speech proceedeth by his kind: 
Dioge.   
But gentle speech in gentle heartes a man may lightly find.   

¶ Of the profit of a realm.  
That king in realms deserveth famed as worthy of renown: 
Plato.   
Which doth devise to raise up right the wrong suppressing down.   

¶ Of wise mens love, and fools.  
True love betwixt the fellowship. of wise men well may fall: 
I Socrat.   
But not among the foolish rout though folly be equal.  
For wit by order goeth, and may by right agree in one:  
But folly lacketh order so that concord can be none.   

¶ Of the world.  
Sith that the world vnstedily doth often ebb and flow:  
It doth behove the wise man well the very same to know. 
Plut.   
And so to sail when as the time is cleanly clear and fair:  
As he may lodge in haven when corrupted is the air.   

¶ Of life and wealth.  
It is much better for a man this tedious life to lose:  
And so to rise to richer wealth 
Marcus aure.  then heart may well suppose.  
Then to escape the sting of death and life for to retain:  
Which is implete with vexing griefs and overflows in pain.   

¶ Of deceits.  
As they that fish with poisoned baits no profit can attain:  
Because they do corrupt the fish 
Plato.  with such impoysned bain.  
So likewise they that use deceits to purchase their desire:  
Through their deceits infect themselves and that which they require.   

¶ Of women.  
There is no creature under heaven 
Mar: au  that more desireth famed  
Then women do, yet that none less endeavours for the same.   

¶ Of Wine.  
By too much wine the wit and sense is dulled and decayed: 
I Socrat.   
And by a busy tattling tongue the secrets are bewrayde.   

¶ Of a vicious man.  
Like as a fly doth more desire to feed of stinking meat: 
Pithago   
Then of the wholesome healthful herbs or sweetest for to eat.  
So doth the vicious man require 
Plato.  more rather to attain,  
The things bee like unto himself, then purchase spiritual gain.   

¶ Of truth.  
The man which useth truth, shal reap by usage of the same, 
Hermes   
Of most men favour, and good will, and well deserved famed.   

¶ Of an evil lover.  
The evil lover which doth love and loveth not a right, 
Pithago.   
esteems and loues his body more, then he regards his wright.   

¶ Of evil mens consent.  
The close consent of evil men. no perfect friendship is,  
For though they do agree in one 
Aristot  yet is the same amis:  
Because that friendship of himself, is so surpassinge pure,  
That in ill things he never will his spotless kind enure.   

¶ Of privy benefits,  
like as a good physician so secreatlie doth heal,  
His pacients sore, that he the same in curinge doth not feale, 
Aristot:   
So should a perfect friend devise to work his friend a gain:  
In secret sort vnwares to him, when he dispayrs in pain.   

¶ Of speech and silence.  
Both speech and silence they are good if they bee wislie used, 
Socrat.   
But both are nought and perilous, if that they bee abbusde.   

¶ Of thankfullnes.  
Yf thou a profit dost receive, or benefit dost find,  
As well as in thy hand thou must receive it in thy mind,  
For he unthankful is who hides the friendship is bestowed, 
Seneca.   
And he ungrateful, who ceceaues and pays not that is owde:  
But he doth least deserve to haue of profit any parte,  
Who neither thankes nor doth requited nor prints it in his heart.   

¶ Of fury.  
The end of wrath or furious ire is much deserved shane: 
Aristot:   
Because that bridled good forecast did not dispose the same.   

¶ Who lives in quiet.  
No grief can commonly frequent the man that is devoid  
Of these four things, but his estate is never once annoyed.  
If he abstain from slothfulness 
Pithago  and pride, and sloth, and will:  
For where the heart is full of these there grief remaineth still.   

¶ sustain and abstain.  
sustain and abstain sustain grief and abstain from the same:  
That either is enclynde to ill 
Epi●… teus  or may engender blame.   

¶ Of dispraising.  
If thou pretend for to dispraise thou must endeavour so 
ovid   
For to dispraise that no man know thou dost dispraise thy foe.   

¶ Of a king.  
A king hath little cause to fear 
justinian  or for to live in awe.  
But onely for to dread his God and well obey his law.   

¶ Of a wicked soul.  
A wicked soul may be discernde by hating of the right: 
Pithago   
Because it chiefly is inclynd●… to haue in lies delight.   

¶ Of wise sufferance.  
When fate aduauuseth up thy state and thou in happy case  
Arte thoroughly pleased therewithal set up in lofty place.  
keep low thy courage and beware of scornefulnes and pride:  
Least thou descend to more defame when fate hath thee denyde. 
Plato.   
And when in trouble thou oppressed hast cause for to complain:  
With patience stiffly suffer that and hope for wealth again.  
For it is wisdom for to use in every thing a mean:  
And neither too much to presume nor to despair to clean.   

¶ Of the worlds misery.  
It is a misery to view and penury to see:  
Now in this world all mortal things in vain compacted be.  
The fathers climb for to attain unto their children wealth:  
And yet the children nought regard their fathers needful health.  
The fathers tediously provide to yield their children rest:  
And yet the children both their pain 
Marcus 〈◇〉.  and fathers do detest.  
The fathers by their painful toil do get their children famed:  
The children thankless do requited the fathers with much shane.  
The fathers sometime die for grief to see the luckles state  
Of such their children, yet they think their fathers death to late.  
And all the goods the fathers reap with pensiveness and pain:  
The children wilfully consume and keep themselves no gain.   

¶ Of vanishing things.  
Indouour not to get the same that sone will wear away: 
Plato.   
But wisely ponder to possess the things will nere decay.   

¶ Of suffisance.  
Suffisance is the castle strong which keepeth wise mens wits 
Pithago   
From evil works and idle thoughts and fonde and foolish ●… ttes.   

¶ Of death.  
Death neither shape nor noble birth no person doth esteem:  
But he endeavours each thing like 
Boelius  unto himself may seem.   

¶ Of the mighty man.  
The man is mighty who with wealth 〈◇〉 is very poor: 
Philip.   
But he who wanting wealth is rich that man is mighty more.   

¶ Of the conscience troubled.  
The consequent or lequell which or 〈◇〉 follow after y●…: 
Aristo:   
Is the vexation of the spirit which then torments the will.   

¶ Of measure.  
Peruse what measure thou dost meate to other men, the same: 
Seneca.   
Thou shalt receive in woes in wealth in honor or in famed.   

¶ Of the avaricious miser.  
The avaricious miser robs himself of all his stay:  
Because his avarice chieflly tends 
Seneca.  to take his famed away.  
And when as famed doth little fail or once doth seem to fall:  
Both rest and riches, and renown are overwhelmed all.   

¶ Of sensuality.  
Where sensuality doth reign 
Chilon.  no reason can take place:  
But order, reason, wit, and sens●… it blindly doth deface.   

¶ Of the world to come.  
The man that glory in this life and that would eke procure 
Mar: au   
In life to come h●… s t●… oughts & works and dealings must be pure.   

¶ precepts of living.  

Be not to busy in the things if favour to obtain 
Zenopho   
Thou dost desire, which to thyself do nothing apertayne.   

endeavour not for to reform a fool inclined to will: 
Plato.   
For thou shalt nothing profit him but work thyself some ill.   

Take hede of wanton womens baits and wisely do beware:  
Least suddenly thou be intrapt 
Socrat.  in their disceitfull snare.  
For nothing more if thou desire in wisdom to prevail:  
That hinders travell spent theri●… or forceth it to fail.   

accustom not thyself to wrath nor seek not to invre  
The same: for it will be a block 
Thessile  unto thyself be sure.   

If thou intend not to do good yet bridle so thy will: 
Proper cine.   
That it may neither once presume to do the thing is ill.   

Thou duly oughtest for to judge or rather to suppose 
Properci   
thyself more weaker then the least or weakest of thy foes.   

Beware least thou corrupt thyself or thine estate defile: 
Zenopho   
And neither let thy wealth ne health ne beauty thee beguile.   

Respect thy path with ready foot and then devoid of flight:  
Thou shalt no perils once incur 
Zenopho  but guide thyself aright   

seek not with 〈◇〉 to haue thy matters done in hast: 
Cleobilus.   
For when the fancy seems to rave the matters fall to wast.   

But rather so thy matters use and travels do extend: 
Cleobu.   
As thou by good forecast mayst bring thy matters to good end.   

In every fear dissolve thy doubt by counsel and aduise: 
Cleobu.   
For by the same the doubt will cease but comfort will arise.   

And thou must wisely take the same as duty doth behove: 
Cleobu.   
In good forbearing of the words though they do thee reprove.   

Eschew the fellowship of him that hath not great desire  
To know himself, but bent to will 
Dioge.  is thrall unto his ire.   

If thou wouldst be a happy wight a good and virtuous man: 
Dioge.   
Be not a bolter which rejects the flower, and kepes the bran.   

To him that full of frustrate words is given to babbell all: 
Dioge.   
With silence answer his requests else answer very small.   

endeavour to adorn thy state and bewtify thy life:  
And to adjoin unto thyself 
Seneca.  a good and honest wife.   

If thou wouldst truly be beloved 
Seneca.  then must thou use thy pain:  
To love as thou dost wish or crave to be beloved again.   

It is thy parte so to forethink 
Seneca.  and haue so good respect:  
That nothing pass but thou shouldst know therof the full effect.   

If thou pretend to promise ought pretend likewise to pay 
pomp.   
The same which thou dost grant in hast without a further stay.   

plead not against the perfect case which iustice doth uphold: 
Marcus aureli.   
But in the matter which is right to plead and speak be bold.   

Invre thyself to labours use though motion do rebel: 
Dioge.   
That thou mayst better it forbear when motion doth compel.   

Boast not thyself of none of thine 
Marcus aureli.  but that which is thine own:  
Least after bragging thy defame and blame as much be blown.   

behave thyself in gentle sort and courtesy retain: 
Dioge.   
And favour love and good report shalbe thy proper gain.   

If it would grieve thee to receive rebuk or any shane: 
Chilon.   
Thou must disdain to do the deeds that do deserve the same.   

For two especial causes thou mayst well be bold to swear:  
For to discharge thyself of blame, if thou vngilty bear  
The same: and likewise to prevent 
Cihlon.  the dangers may ensue  
Unto thy friends on good intent his profit to renew.  
But for the purchase of the wealth or heaps of earthly store.  
Thou oughtest never for to vow or once to swear therfore.   

desire rather to be clean then gorgeous in attire: 
Chilon.   
For need more better then excess contents a wise desire.   

look wisely to thyself and well 
Mar: au  beware of thine estate:  
Least youth provoke thee to be proud or scornful in thy fate.   

Put rather trust and confidence in wisdom then in wealth:  
Or in uncertain fortunes chance which daily changeth health. 
Alexse   
And rather seek to get renown in virtue using pain:  
Then in the great abuse which seeks by wealth to get a gain.   

If thou for to continue long 
Chilon.  in friendship dost desire:  
Thou must forbear thy friend in rage when he is moved to ire.   

Thou must determine so to guide thy life, and it to lead: 
Arsaci des.   
As every night thou didst suppose a grave to be thy bed.   

¶ Or thus.  
Thou must determine so to live and thee for to behave: 
Arsaci.   
As every night thou didst suppose a bed to be thy grave.   

It is thy duty so to guide thyself in every thing:  
That al thy deeds may serve thy health 
Arsaci.  and not delights to bring.   

For it thou weigh the happy plight thy nature doth adorn:  
Thou shalt perceive how fonde excess●… thy nature seems to scorn.  
But how, it measure doth esteem 
Cicero.  which neither doth suppress  
Thy natures health ne maintenance but scorns as much excess.  
If therfore thou wouldst fain preserve thyself and keep thee clean:  
Thou must endeavour for to get in every thing the mean.   

When thou beginnest any thing remember in thy brain 
Cicero.   
That death may visit thee before the end thou canst attain.   
Finis.    

A Pithy and pleasant description of the Abbusions, and Uanities, of the world.  
 

IF man through wisdom would himself & weigh his state: speruse  
And ponder wisely the abuse that overthrows his fate:  
And vnnerstande the loathsome cares contained in this life,  
And know the cause of all his woes and motion of such strife.  
And mark the tickle tract of time and learn the rewfull rase  
Of mortal nature which abhors the skill of mortal case:  
His perfect sense considering thus perusing these with pain,  
Should well perceive and so confess that every thing were vain.  
For every mortal man and thing is like the withering grass, 
Salus●… e.   
And all things frustrately by kind do pass and do repass.  
The heauens by course vpon their poles reu●… lieu in circled round:  
And charm their duties to distil the same vpon the ground:  
And all things labour in like wise 
Sibilla.  the which it doth contain,  
And yet their labour frustrate is and travels be in vain.  
So like wise Titans ramping race perseuers through the skies,  
And through the burning Zones doth course & through the zodiac hies 
Salam●… r.   
And daily traffics to the West and turns to East again,  
And travels thus for mortals sake yet is it all in vain.  
And silver Phebus partes the dark and lendeth wholesome light,  
( And Titan covered) then displays herself, in pitchy might,  
And so by kind and natures craft hir walking doth maintain:  
To each mans sight for each mans wealth yet is this same as bain.  
The winds disperse their blustering breaths and scatter them about, 
solomon.   
Er●… ending air and elements and every place throughout,  
And course from north to south and so from every part with pain:  
And yet the same and all things else is frustrate and in vain.  
And hoary Bortas fiercely blows his cold congeling blast,  
And ●… ephirus with gentle breath 
solomon.  dissolves the sa●… te as fast,  
And with a bridle holdeth frost and burning doth refrain:  
Yet is the same a frustrate toil and labour spent in vain.  
And in the like recourse by kind the elements bear sway,  
The which on fire, on air, and earth, and moisture take their stay.  
And rule the natures of the man and do dispose his health  
By sundry means and secret ways in working of his wealth.  
And when as Titan hath drawn up 
Plinius.  of every filthy lake:  
These purge the same, and every filth and humour cleanly make.  
And then in season sends it down in pleasant wholesome hew:  
And lay the sap vpon the earth that each thing may renew.  
And so these silver drops distil the earth for to sustain:  
And yet it is but frust rate fonde and most exceeding vain.  
For all such things for mortal use their travels do pretend: 
Iesu●… sy   
And therfore all is meare abuse and serves to fruitless end.  
The earth itself with all his fruits his profits and his gain:  
Is also fonde and more abuse and most exceeding vain.  
The ●… oils & fields with pleasant hews and greenish coats yclade:  
Their fertile flowers and sappy plants displayed through natures trade.  
And with odiferous virtues yield their scents to every brain:  
For to rejoice each panting heart and yet the same is vain.  
The wholesome blossoms once through spread the fruits do follow fast:  
And every three with plenteous store delivers up his taste.  
And every seed doth yield his proof and so doth every grain:  
And yet these labours are but fonde and travels spent in vain.  
The secret hidden golden gubbes which l●… e in deep of ground:  
By mans device are delued up and wisdom well are found.  
The which he reapeth for his use and taketh for a gain  
And yet the same is meare abuse and most exceeding vain. 
solomon.   
For all things flourish for a time and vade again in hast,  
And every mortal thing by kind is subject unto wast, 
Mar: au   
And as they come they vade away, and as they vade they come:  
One stands, another doth decay, 
Iesus: sy  another filles the room.  
Each thing that hath been is again, and this is also true, 
Iesus: sy   
That whatsoever is shalbe for nothing can be new, 
Pithago   
And every case is thoroughly stuffed with hazard, loss, and pain:  
And therfore all is great abuse and every thing is vain.  
The world is full of drowly dreams, of fears and tickle joys,  
Of bitter baits, of short delights 
Plato.  peri●… ixed with annoys,  
Of much mishaps or fickle falls of foolish hasty famed, 
Hermes:   
Of endless travell, of despite, of need, rebuk, and shane, 
1. John. 5   
Of sin, of mischief, and of 'vice, and nought it doth contain: 
Pithago   
But mortal is and hath an end and therfore all is vain.  
And man doth live and use his toil and moyleth sore with care,  
And still deviseth with his wit 
Archilaus.  to work his own good fare,  
And seeks with trouble how to get the goods of worldly gain:  
And yet by death forgoeth all which thing is very vain.  
And so the state of every man is bound for to sustain,  
And therfore all is more abuse one most exceeding vain.  
For each thing mortal stands in need or else in fickle ioy, 
Archi laus.   
Or else in hazard or in fear or else in great annoy,  
And each thing hath uncertain state whereon it doth depend: 
Socrat.   
And therfore all is more abuse and serves to no good end.  
Both high, and low, and rich, and poor, as also great and small,  
To hazards, troubles, loss, and woes, they be addicted all,  
And every state and each degree is subject unto pain:  
And therfore all is more abuse and most exceeding vain.  
The prince whom most men do repute to live in happy stay,  
Is most subdewd to troubles yoke and subject to decay. 
Marcus au●… e.   
Whose wits not onely frounses are in drowsy dampish cares:  
By weighty charge the which himself upon his shoulders bears.  
But also is dismayed by fear of open foes despite,  
And also of the privy foe which worketh out of sight.  
And is suppressed by the force of fortunes tickle wheel  
Which cannot stand but stackring stil vnstedily doth reel.  
And as his case is most advanced so most suboewd to call,  
( Of fortune) which when fortune failes attaynes to greatest fall.  
For as his members many be whereon his state doth stay,  
The greater likewise be the harms that work his own decay.  
And thus he lives in travell, pain, in fear and fickle ioy,  
In doubt and hazard of his wealth but certain of annoy.  
And if it chance that favour do befrende his happy fate,  
That never mischief do suppress the glory of his state,  
Yet notwithstanding such his joys his wealth and his renown  
By death are finished in fine and clean suppressed down.  
And then of all his glory, nought therof he doth retain:  
And therfore such his state is fonde and most exceeding vain.  
For though he were of greater wealth then Midas miser he,  
Or power then Alexander great 
solomon  by any means could be,  
And though he could devise to live with such an idle hart  
That both from tedious works and thoughts his fancy could depart:  
And neither trouble nor annoy his diet could disease,  
But that his humour should receive the things his stomach please.  
And wear of purest gold with stones of passing precious kind,  
Such costl●… robes as nere the like no mortal man can find,  
And tread as subject underfoot the sceptre and the crown,  
Of every nation under heaven suppressing all things down,  
And did an epicurish life with all delights sustain:  
Yet were his state uncertain stil 
solomon  and most exceeding vain.  
Each ruler likewise under him which beareth rule and sway,  
For all his rule is ruled himself by ruin and decay,  
And though with nobleness of birth his state be set aloft,  
And though his bones is restend well vpon his pillow soft.  
And though with dainty fare his mouth is satisfied with taste,  
And mirth delights his senses well yet all these things do wast,  
By sinking sorrow which apares his great considering hart,  
By painful toiling how to deal and execute his parte,  
The which as well doth weaken wit as also troubleth brain:  
And therfore all his rule is fonde and also very vain.  
For he doth live in no such state so certain or so sure,  
That he in maintenance of ease or wealth shall still endure,  
But all his pleasure still is mixed with pensiveness and pain: 
Salam●….   
And care and peril of his case which thing is very vain.  
Since therfore thus the lofty states of earthly tedious race,  
Be so subdued to casualties and irksome painful case  
How much the more is simplo sort oppressed with further woes,  
When thraldomes pester and his yoke is bent so much to those  
Agree therfore with open throat with me for to complain:  
And say that all things is abuse and every thing is vain.  
And mark from highest to the least and note with busy cure:  
If thou canst view one thing in earth 
Mar: au  is stable firm and sure:  
But all things be addict to waste and each thing to decay,  
And there is nothing in the world but it doth wear away:  
And yet in life and being be the subiects all to pain:  
And therfore all is more abuse and every thing is vain.  
And in our life no life doth live so much at certain ease  
That it can satisfy the hart or stomach thoroughly please.  
Because that every life to cares 
Plato.  is bound, and every state  
To travels, hazards, loss and fears, and yokte to wavering fate.  
The noble captain whose renown is hautily displayed,  
Through marshal feats which well deserve no praise to be delayde:  
Though th● in glorious plight he spends his daxes in happy time,  
When forsing cause of manly proof espruddeth not in prime.  
Yet after pleasant easy tide and weather clean end fair:  
When tempests rage and storms he rude and misty is the air.  
His easy state from great delight is turned to greatest pain,  
Respect therfore and see of right if each thing be not vain.  
Can pleasure more thy stomach please or gain thy fancy feed  
Of earthly store, then get renown through manly martiall deed?  
Or is there any thing or things so pleasant to the life  
Of man as famed? or any case more grievous then in strife?  
If not behold and ponder well the captains tickle trade,  
The which to both these fickle things is most a subject made.  
Now lifted up and much advanced through worthy high renown,  
Now by reproof or great reproach as much suppressed down,  
Now at his ease when as his hart is pleased through repast,  
Now at his pester when with smart he feels his force to wast,  
Now in a certain sure estate devoid of every care:  
And now in hazard and in flight abounding all in fear.  
Now in suffisance of his store and maintenance of wealth,  
Now thorough drowned in deep despair diminishing his health,  
Now preaching pleasantly to those which gratify his pain:  
Now dealing rudely with his foes which yield the like again.  
Now flourishing with seemly hue and comely brave and trim  
Now mangled, torn, and all dispersed in every part and limb.  
Now bearing life when healthful sap his lusty senses shield,  
Now like a beast bearest of breath remaining in the field.  
And now of all his race and course what profit doth remain,  
Or of his toils and labours all what thing doth he retain?  
himself is dead, and saith no more and strikes no more his foe,  
And cannot show the reason why or cause that he doth so.  
And all the substance that his care hath reaped in his dayes,  
He leaves behind him to his heir the which as fast decays.  
And all the pleasure that himself hath gained of his famed,  
Is also dead, and no man knows where he may seek the same.  
And if perchance through actual deeds he used in time past,  
He after death receives renown what is it but a blast.  
And yet to him no pleasure is nor profit, nor a gain:  
And therfore see how his estate is most exceeding vain.  
The veutrous merchant whose degre●… is maintaynde by his toil,  
And doth devise and labours hard and traffics every soil.  
And learneth this, and knoweth that, and yet is still to seek:  
What is his trauall but a pain which still doth come to wreak.  
Is labour sweetness, or the toil that makes the sweaty brain,  
May it by right accombted be a profit or a gain?  
If not, peruse and ponder well the marchants tickle state:  
Whose wealth is guided by the frauds of fortunes fickle fate.  
With great abundance of his woes and anguish of his mind:  
He seeks, and at the last doth get the things which he would find,  
He doth provide by good forecast and seeks with earnest pain  
To purchase credite which well got he cares for to maintain.  
And learns to know of every ware the certain easiest price:  
And then doth warily pursue to follow his device.  
He buyeth wisely with his wit and maketh near account  
Of each expense which follows, then what profit will amount.  
And then with diligent advice according to the same:  
With expedition to the effect his matters he doth frame.  
He ways the thing, the time and place whereto he means to send:  
And these considered follows more and further doth extend.  
He bargains with the sailor then in seeking his resort,  
How that with diligence his goods the sailor will transport.  
And after some accustomde talk he shortly doth agree,  
And then again peruseth all how every thing will be.  
This done he packeth up his wears and every thing in hast:  
But so that still he views that nought be framed unto waste.  
And shippeth it with busy cure and looketh to the sail  
And taklyngs, seeing all things sure that nought in need may fail,  
And for his own and proper use such things he doth provide,  
That nothing needful is should want, or lacking bee espied.  
And then when all things finished bee and each thing well assinde,  
he tarrtes for a prosperous tide, and for a lucky wind.  
The which by chance, or else in time allot unto his pray,  
And then with speed and wary wits they hoist and pack a way:  
And then by course the waves arise and boisterous blasts do blow,  
And storms do rage the ship above and eke the ship below,  
And beats the hatches, and by force do break the steaddye mast,  
And tears the sails, & over whelmes the vessel at the last.  
And then the raging rampyng seas, so fearslie do abound  
That ship, and man, and goods, & all, are turned to the ground.  
This is the end of all his toil, this is his only gain:  
Consider therfore of the same, And say that all is vain.  
And if that fortune favour so this same his rueful case,  
That it do grant the selye wretch such casualties to pass:  
And after heavy ship wracks, brings by changes of the air  
His fearful hart to good relief, abandoninge despair.  
And after long expected time doth harbour him at last,  
devoid of fear in haven sure which yeldes him more repast:  
Yet not withstanding view the end, of all his toil and pain,  
And thou shalt see, and say that he and every thing is vain.  
By former travell he hath paste the pikes and scapte great cares,  
And vanquished the force of waves, and now devoid of fears,  
He is arrived at the port which well doth please his mind,  
Where as he doth devise agayue his profit how to find.  
And there with diligence provides and wittily prepares  
By crafty means for strangers sight to lay his subtle snares.  
And with his care he purgeth clean the wrack his goods sustaynde  
Upon the seas by great mischance when he himself was paynde.  
This done unlading such his wears by credite he doth get  
A room or warehouse where he works the trial of his feat.  
And wisely ordering all such things according to the skill  
Of marchants secret knowledge, then he moves his wit and will,  
By wary usage and aduise of cunning to 'allure  
His marchants, so that at the last he thereby doth procure  
The happy sale of all his goods according to desire:  
And then this done he thinks again how homeward to retire.  
Now know thus far the wretch hath wrought & moyld with careful pain  
And now to rage of cruel seas he yeldes himself again:  
And mark the misery of this whereto it doth extend:  
And thou shalt see the great abuse which serves to fruitless end.  
He did begin his voyage first with travell fear and doubt:  
And as he feared every thing is painfully faulne out:  
He endeth likewise with the same and yet for all his toil,  
He hath least parte of that wherein he used thus to moil.  
Suppose of this, judge of this grief, and ponder of this pain:  
How man shall toil & moil with car●… and fear, and reap no gain.  
And well perusing thou mayst see that all the world is bent  
To such unhappy toiling stat●… which is as vainly spent:  
But pass not thus the tickle state of marchants frustrate race.  
But thoroughly peruse the same considering of his case,  
That thou mayst fully see and think and deem of all his pain:  
And thereby know and understand his state to be most vain.  
As first with care he did provide and then did scape annoy:  
And then again did use his care so now he leaves his ioy:  
And to the raging seas returns which troubles stomach sore  
Because he enters perils where his heart was vexed before.  
And yet occasion moveth so and cause doth so capitain,  
That needs of force unto the same he must return again:  
Now note that he as likely is with all his store and goods  
For to remain in deep of seas inuironde of the floods.  
As by good chance the wished port with safety to arrive:  
whereas his hart with more of ease may purpose for to thrive.  
Yet not with standing though he haue the full of his desire,  
So much that fancy may not crave nor stomach more require,  
And though he bring of happy store sufficient to extend:  
For maintenance of him and his, yet view the frustrate end.  
He long hath been at easles state and at unquiet stay,  
For filthy lucre, which as draff or dirt doth wear away,  
And hath escaped dangers great and perrills with much fear  
And now at last with joyful heart he is approached where  
He hopes to live at better ease and to receive relief,  
And yet it turns to his disease and most unto his grief.  
For shortly after life departs from this unhappy man,  
And he in wrapped in the ground of gain or pleasure than:  
What doth he reap though he with care haue traveled for the same,  
Which often times when he is deade doth work his utter shane:  
learn therfore, see, peruse, think, judge & then thou shalt well know,  
The full effect of marchants case and matter which I show:  
To day possessing wealth and store to morrow worn away.  
His goods and riches all are lost he brought unto decay.  
To day i●… estimation great to morrow very small:  
The next day lesser then before the next day losing all,  
Sometime abounding in his joys and sometime drowned in care:  
sometime in happi lucky state sometime in mornefull fare.  
Sometime at ease sometime at payn●… sometime in quiet place:  
Sometime at loss sometime at gayn●… sometime at perilous case.  
And thus his state uncertain is and never hath a stay:  
But as it is adict to joys so likewise to decay.  
And he therfore in such his state can nought at all prevail,  
But with his state doth rise aloft and fall when it doth fail.  
Agree therfore with open throat with me for to complain:  
And say that all things is abuse 
solomon  and every thing is vain.  
As well the man indewde with wealth as vaunsed by renown:  
As also he that both by fat●… is raysde and pressed down.  
And likewise he who by his toil or travell doth pursewe,  
To purchase store or to his life a profit to renew.  
And now consider of degree which bears a lower sail  
If that the same be not addict as suddenly to fail.  
That by perusing of the same though lowest and the least,  
Thou mayst discer●… e it for a state though vain, yet most at rest.  
And think vpon the man who lives by labour of his hands,  
With whom no profit nor increase nor gain nor comfort stands:  
Except he get it by the sweat of brows, or earnist pain  
Of bodies force which still applies his living to sustain.  
He beats, he breaks, he batters, bows, he writheth, and he bends:  
He digs, he delues, and to his toil his labour still extendes.  
And never ceaseth all his life to moil with all his strength,  
Till foul deformed tedious age or death aproch at length:  
And yet a common thing it is for man in youth to ply  
His pain and labour, and in age in wretchedness do die:  
Uiewe therfore from the top to to●… of every such degree,  
And wisely ponder of the same and thou shalt plainly see:  
That in conclusion each and all is bent to care and pain:  
And yet doth tend to no good end but frustrate and in vain.  
Of painful livers who doth live( permirt with tickle ioy,  
And yet in travell and in loss and diuers much annoy,)  
More better then the simplo man whose race and vital scope:  
Doth both depend on wealth & woes and fear and fickle hope.  
And yet receives the natural use and kindly happy wealth,  
Which doth procede from fertile earth maintaining manly health  
In winter he adorns the ground and sows in meetest time,  
And after seeds espruddeth forth he purgeth them in prime.  
And all these things he gladly doth and with a joyful hart,  
Because that hope his fancy tells he shall receive his parte.  
And then in summer doth procede from earth his hoped gain:  
The which enjoys his doubtful sense and doth relent the pain.  
The which his stomach did forbear with doubtfulness before:  
And so by fate and fortune good he heapeth up his store,  
And in a season doth procure to him such great increase:  
By former labour that at length he doth agree to cease  
From moiling and determines now to live in happy rest,  
But mark how fonde is his estate when he doth judge it best.  
The myser is compelde to leave by death his pleasures all,  
And other flourish in the same when he hath got the fall.  
And this is most a vexing grief which worldlings do retain:  
And therfore all is mere abuse and every thing is vain.  
For every man that lives in earth doth live in carp and care,  
To reap the wealth of earthly store and hardly to prepare:  
Such benefits as may suffice the stay of his estate,  
And doth sustain misfortunes great by frowning frowarde fate:  
And yet it is not for himself to use or to enjoy:  
But for another which receives the same without annoy.  
And thus the profit is not his but his is still the pain:  
And other men do reap the wealth which thing is very vain.  
If therfore this thou do peruse and weigh the ample tract  
Of each estates effect, and think how each thing is compact.  
And from the highest to the least thou ponder in thy hart,  
And from the simplest to the best considering every part:  
Thou shalt perceive and understand that each thing earth conta●… ues:  
Which is 〈◇〉 to greatest port is subject most to pains.  
And every thing that is the least and beareth least of swa●…:  
Is charged least a●… d least subdewde to ruin and decay.  
For still the higher that a thing doth stand, the greater fall  
It doth attain, but lower less for lowest least of all.  
And note that nothing in the world remains at better ease:  
Then the degree which kept allow no fortune can displease.  
For what doth live in less misdout or hath less cause of fears  
Or most occasion of a stay or motion least to tears.  
Then that which ever trodden down could never rise a hye,  
To know what fall should mean, or else of pleasure to descry:  
The poorest therfore and the lowst 
besiege.  estate, and least degree  
That is, and may be so maintaynde is most from troubles free.  
For it by losses is not vexed nor cares distempered sore,  
Because it is refraynde of that which it possessed before:  
Nor trembles not through quaking fears nor is no more oppressed  
But still doth live at certain stay and one especial rest:  
Nor is not threatened to decay by fortunes frowning cheer  
Nor death, nor doubt, nor once despair for ought then can appear.  
Nor seeks not for to scratch with care the heaps of earthly store,  
But is contented with his own and doth desire no more:  
Nor feareth not to be deprived of that he doth possess,  
Nor need not care least any man his substance would oppress.  
Nor doth not crave the wanton sects of pleasure or delight:  
But is by abstinence enforced to live and deal aright.  
And therfore such estate doth both 
Dioge.  himself to right subdew:  
And matters most which duty craves it rightly to infew:  
And also least is bent to feel though naturally the pain  
And travell of the world the which in every thing is vain.  
And therfore thus amongst the 〈◇〉 
Mar: au  of mortal things abuse:  
I find the poorest state to tend●… to best and wisest use.  
And yet the wisest and the best is but a frustrate pain:  
And therfore all is great abuse and every thing is vain.  
For what assured ease doth grow unto the wise man more  
Then any other? not a whit, but as to them before.  
For though his wisdom by forecast may diuers harms eschew: 
Salam●… n   
Yet notwithstanding do his lets as plenteously renew.  
What tedious travell doth he bear●… his wisdom to attain:  
What loathsome dayes doth it import to spend in endless pain.  
And yet when amply he hath got the full of his request,  
What wretch doth live at his disease and more at his unrest:  
For both his wisdom and his skill especially pretend:  
To vex himself, and thus his toils is spent to frustrate end.  
It bringeth cause of great complaynts and motion unto tears:  
And sobs & sighs, & pensive thoughts and thus the time it wears.  
And doth 'allure unrestful tract and loathsomeness of life:  
And thus doth nosell in the hart such diuers vexing strife.  
Can there be more vnease to man when he vneased most  
remains, then thus in hartes uncase for to be vexed and lost? 
Mar: 〈◇〉   
Or is there more a misery that worldlings do retain  
Then in the hart or inward partes to overflow in pain?  
If not: suppose of wise mens woes the which engendered be  
By wisdom who complaynes of world the vanities to see.  
Be wailing greatly to behold the fondness of the same:  
And works therof which only tends to foolishness and shane.  
And the presumption of the life and nature of the mind,  
And disposition of the corps by nature so assigned:  
And endless travell it forbears unto a fruitless end:  
And what despite and injury it chiefly doth extend:  
And the annoyous harms and hurte●… the living do assail,  
And the dispituous cruel foes which in our life prevail:  
And the encumbrances and stops that hinder earthly health,  
As also the unhappy lets that hinder heavenly wealth:  
And last the mortal end of man his ruin and decay:  
How every mortal thing by right is bound to wear away.  
And the rewards which after death approach with ioy or pain: 
solomon   
Which thing especially doth move the wise man to complain.  
Thus see how wisdom doth provoke the mind it doth enjoy:  
To such vnceasing pensive thoughts which bredes his own annoy.  
And can not stay but think vpon his own unhappy case,  
Who happy should esteem himself if ended were his rase:  
And mark & note if thou mayst view the wise mans state so free:  
From pain or death in any poent or so devoid to be  
Of natural decay but that his state doth fall at last,  
When all his wisdom with himself is brought to utter waste:  
And then of all his wisdom nought he reapeth for a gain:  
And yet in life it doth intend his travell and his pain.  
Thus therfore pondering of the case perusing the effect:  
How that the wise mans wisdom seems his pleasure to detect.  
And can not get no rest of all the travell he doth use:  
Me thinks his wisdom onely tends himself for to abuse.  
And therfore feel I that the fool 
solomon  doth live at better ease:  
And more at rest with quiet state which doth his stomach pease.  
And better is 〈◇〉 with all that nature hath assigned  
Then is the wise man who complains of each thing in his mind.  
For fools be void of each suspect and neither mind decay  
Of things, nor matters weight nor think of every matters stay:  
And neither ponder of themselves, nor use their pain to learn  
Of other matters to descry or rightly to discern,  
But thinks upon the present thinge●… and lets the other pass,  
And so supposeth of the same, as doth as ox, or ass,  
Whose in ward partes is never vexed but when at present time  
It hath occasion whereunto, capassitie must climb.  
For so a fool, determines that the which doth appertain,  
Unto his common ●… uslenance or present ready gain.  
But little we●… eth the cause or case or seeketh to define:  
The proof or 〈◇〉 of any thing whereto it should incline.  
And therfore since that nether care nor anguish do oppress  
His heart nor toil his stomach tear●… in any such distress.  
And that he lives and doth not moil in body nor in mind  
But is at rest: his foolish state is most a●… ease I find.  
What profit more doth there redound unto the sparers pain:  
Then to the spender who deuo●… de of cars doth wast his gain.  
even as the one by wast full will doth beg when all is spent:  
And so doth purchase to himself the wrack of ●… such intent. 
Cicero.   
So doth the other pass his life in sparing of the same:  
The which 〈◇〉 unto himself for most exceeding shane.  
Can there be more a greater grief or terror to the hart,  
Then for a man to break his brayn●… to reap his proper smart?  
Or is there more a painful thing for any to forbear,  
Then for to labour for the same the which engenders fear?  
Or is there more a witness sharp against the dread of mind:  
Then when a man against himself a witness seeks to find?  
No: neither worldly care ne pain ne travell, ne misdoubtt  
Ne loss, ne hazard, which by chance may diversly fall out:  
Doth so distemper worldly har●… s in seeking of their gain:  
As he withholding of the same which they would fain retain.  
For after labour long bestowed and travell much pursewde:  
And care much used yet in end they be again renewed.  
And though a man haue lived long and spent his travell much:  
For his revenues yet his heart is vexed more by such.  
Not onely by the wretched care that seeks it to increase:  
And by desire insaciate which therein can not cease.  
But also by his own abuse and by the further shane:  
Which doth by such abuse amount to his deserved blame. 
Cicero.   
What misery is this for man to moil with all his care:  
To get the ease which may suffice to work his own good fare. 
Plato.   
And yet when he hath got at large the thing he did desire:  
It should be cause that more and more his stomach should require.  
And yet not onely that, but eke his state for to abase:  
As also through his own abuse the same for to deface.  
And mark what great vngratefulnes is rendered for the store:  
Which he doth leave to the success of other, though before  
He used his care and pain so much and thou shalt plainly see:  
How frustrate, fonde, and very vain his sparing all should be.  
For what more better is it said of him when he deceased:  
But since the churl could not be filled now shall it be my rest.  
For he though still uncessantly did seek for such a stay:  
Yet when as he possessed it it was his own decay.  
And therfore now the miser gone hath left against his will:  
The fruits of all his pain to me and it shalbe my fill.  
Since therfore thus in this same world the man which doth retain  
The full of worldly wealth his state, is so exceeding vain.  
What may be said of those which live in needefulnes and want:  
With whom ne wealth ne ease abounds but every thing is scant?  
What may it now be thought of him which all hath spent away:  
And by deserved wilfulness is fallen unto decay.  
No more but briefly to conclude he reaps deserved pain:  
And therfore all is mere abuse and every thing is vain.  
For so the world is diversly tormented with his own:  
And all the travels of the life are sundry ways yknowne.  
Some by their high estate are vexed and some for want of wealth:  
Some by presumption which they use and some through lack of health.  
Some by their greedy appetite which never hath his fill:  
Some by the 〈◇〉 worm in mind some by their wanton will.  
Some by the loss of their delight some by frequented use:  
Some by superfluous pleasures fonde some by their own abuse.  
Some by their fancy, some by fear, some by compelled pain:  
Some by the tickle joys of fate some by their wilful brain.  
And thus the world is full of griefs which every man doth bear:  
Though some in this and some in that their tedious times do wear.  
One travels far with doubt & pain in dangers and annoy:  
And grief, and anguish of his mind a profit to enjoy▪  
Another in his native soil tormented is as much:  
And lives in trembling fear and toil though not in cases such.  
For every thing and each estate though that a little space  
It may attain to little joys surmounted in his place.  
Yet if thou mark, it nere assende●… so lofty or so ●… ye:  
But at the last it doth descend and fall as low thereby.  
What man can compass so to reach 
Esayas.  the full of worlds delight,  
But that his case is diuers ways 
Salamo.  inclined to despite.  
Or who can ●… o devise to gain 
Iesus: sy  himself to hi●… renown:  
But that occasion may suppress and over whelme it down.  
Or who can comprehend so much experience of his time?  
But that as long as life doth last he is a slave to crime,  
No man can bridle so the world nor liveliness refrain:  
But still the world infecteth all and each thing puts to pain.  
And therfore with a loathsome hart I forced am to say:  
That every thing is vain, because it comes to vain decay.  
What pleasure more doth he attain that hath the chief of all  
The pleasures which the world contayns and hath at last a fall?  
Then he which never could discern what such delights should mean,  
But is from such abusions kind by force excluded clean.  
Doth gold adorn the spirit of man or bewtify the mind:  
Or is there grace by worldly wealth into the soul▪ assigned?  
Or is the raging lust restraynde by heaps of earthly store?  
No, no, but wickedness and crime is thereby moved more.  
For earthly treasure is the bag which vices doth maintain:  
And 'vice is that same very thing which maketh all things vain.  
Who therfore gladly would receive the happy life and time:  
Must in his mortal race avoyde the motions unto crime.  
Regarding each thing in this vale as I haue said before:  
To be but frustrate, vain, and fonde, no better nor no more.  
For mortal trace a passage is unto another life:  
Which is not mortal but devoid of foolish mortal strife.  
And therfore he that willingly would other life attain:  
Must seek for to reform this life because it is but vain.   
Finis.   

imprinted at London in Fleetstreate, beneathe the conduit, at the sign of Saint John evangelist, by Thomas Colwell.  
¶ seen and allowed according to the order appoynted. &c.