¶ The shyppe of fooles Gaudeamê° oeÌ„s· ¶ Here after foloweth the prologue of the translatour of this present booke intytled the grete shyppe of fooles of this worlde KNowynge that Melius est habundare quam deficere It is better to haue haboundaunce of dyuers thynges than to haue necessyte Wherfore I haue put myselfe to translate this presente booke called the grete shyppe of fooles out of Frensshe in to Englysshe bycause that this booke hathe ben fyrste made in Allemayne language and out of Allemayne it was translated into latyn by mayster Jaques Locher and oute of latyn in to rethoryke Frensshe I haue consydered that the one delyteth them in latyn the other in Frensshe some in ryme and the other in prose for the whiche cause I haue done this more ouer consyderynge this that Therence Therentius sayth Tot capita tot sensus also many heedes also many opynyons And than consyderynge the saynge of Uyrgyle Uirgilius Trahit sua queque voluntas Euery body wyll do after theyr voluntees and wyll accomplysshe them but as Uyrgyle sayeth more ouer Nescia mens hoiÌ„m The voluntees of men is vnknowen Wherfore they that wyll haue latyn take it the frensshe ryme or prose or alleman or Englysshe Who wyll haue the morall sens take it who that wyll haue the lytterall sens take it And who wyll haue all take all as sayeth Esope ¶ To the honour of the Esopas ryght hye and ryght sacred trynyte fader sone and holy ghost in one essence and of the ryght gloryous moder of god and of all the sayntes of paradyse I haue begon to make this translacyon for to exhorte the poore humaynes the whiche by imbelycytes pusyllanimytes haue ensued the fooles of this presente worlde theyr werkes And to the ende that they may eschewe al mondanytes and folyes I praye them that they haue regarde vnto this present booke and that they comprehende the substaunce to the ende that they maye wysely gouerne them selfe in the tyme to come and that thorugh theyr labour they may be of the nombre of the saued For whan a man debateth the shame that it be not vaynquysshed multe plyeth his force And the good conscyence also multeply eth vertues in man Consyderynge also that the prose is more famylyer vnto euery man than the ryme I Henry Uirgilius Watson indygne and symple of vnderstondynge haue reduced this present boke in to our maternall tongue of Englysshe out of Frensh at the request of my worshyp full mayster wynkyn de worde thrughe the entysement exhortacyon of the excellent pryncesse Margarete couÌ„tesse of Rychemonde and Derby and grandame vnto our moost naturell souerayne lorde kynge Henry ye. viii whome Ihesu preserue from all encombraunce If that I haue added ony thynge in ony place I haue not done it by arrogaunce but for to applye vnto the scrypture and bycause that it came vnto purpose I haue not wylled to chaunge the name of the boke the whiche hathe ben called by the fyrste composer the shyppe of fooles He hathe fygured a shyppe full of fooles fletynge vpon a see ¶ By the shyppe we may vnderstonde the folyes and er roures that the mondaynes are in by the se this present worlde the fooles beynge in the shyppe is the synners for we are in this worlde as pylgrymes fletynge frome one countree to another and after our operacyons we shall be remunered at the porte of salute Syth that it is so we must serche in this booke the whiche may well be â—â—lled the doctrynall of fooles for there may be fouÌ„den good and helthfull doctrynes conteyned as well in the holy pagyne as in the werkes of the sayntes and prophetes of lawes and of the decretes of holy faders the whiche haue rowed so well in this worlde that they are aryued at a good porte that is in the glorye eternall to the whiche wyll conduyte vs the fader the sone and the holy ghost amen You lectours humbly I requyre you for to pardon me yf that I haue erred in ony thynge for the tendernes of my yeres hathe so affusked me that I haue not applyed me vnto the lettres as Jought to haue done the language is not autentyke to the ende that euerybody may vnderstonde some thynge for folkes vn lyttered demaundeth not thynges obscure ¶ Prolude of this present boke NOwe is the worlde ful of scyence and documentes made by our auÌ„cyent faders in suche wyse that the holy scrypture is in gretter vygoure than euer it was for in her is all ryght Fyrst we haue the holy byble of the auÌ„cyent faders In the whiche appereth euydently theyr feates and lyues we maye take good ensamples for to susteyne and nourysshe our poore soules For he that loueth not vertues is reputed vyle More ouer we haue the bookes of phylosophye wherin is conteyned all goodnes it is they wherin all the wyse men dyd lerne she is excellente and of grete pryse And who that delyteth in her may haue ryght grete prouffyte But this notwithstondynge I meruayle me of euery mortall man bycause that they thynke not vpon theyr salute and thynke soner to assemble a grete sorte of synnes and how that god consumeth vs not seynge that we offende hyÌ„ soo moche Good doctryne is chaced out of the worlde euery daye and in folye and imbelycyte man passeth his dayes he fleeth leueth good doctryne Palas was wonte to kepe the ren Palâ—s ges in this worlde but by our grete and enorme synnes we maye not suffre it She is in heuen where as she serueth the sayntes of whome she is loue None or ryght fewe haue her prudence scyence or doctryne we haue not the ouerture of probyte fayth conscience loue and pyte is not in vs but echone dysprayseth his god wher fore he that taketh vertues cheseth a good place Noneste thynges and good condycyons we dysprayse The holy sayntes documentes and admonestinges we dyspyse with the celestyall doctrynes so dulcet and amerous vnto the good and dyscrete men of this worlde ¶ More ouer we fall in infynyte errours that in the worlde is the worste and are releued in a myscheuous empyre by our synnes are infynyte and none of vs hathe a stedfaste degree By playnes wayes pathes tauernes markettes stretes mountaynes hylles felde s and fynably by al quarters is excercysed glotonye whiche is so vyle in takyng inutyle wayes and not the waye of salute We folowe capons tauernes etynge drynkynge insacyably we replenysshe our bodyes vnmesurably with lecherye and delycates sobrenes is not fouÌ„de in vs euery body is trobled with this vyce Our hertes is affusked so that it demaundeth nothynge but vanytees our soules we fulfyl with fylthes and lecheryes in lyke wyse and of othervyces mo than a hondred By the meanes wherof there is grete haboundaunce of fooles thorugh the worlde in suche wyse that in dyuers regyons and countrees theyr folyes redoundeth so moche that all vertues pure thynges
onely as resyteth Flaccus taken entyerely the substaunce of the scrypture in esperaunce that myn audace presumptuous sholde be pardonned of the lectoures hauynge aspecte vnto the capacyte of my tendre yeres and the imbylycyte of my lytel vnderstondynge in leuynge the egressyons poetyques and fabulous obscurtees in achyeuynge the werke in facyle sentence and famylyer style in supplyenge al the reders to haue me for excused yf that I have fayled in ony thynge ¶ Here after ensueth the fyrste chapytre ¶ Of bookes inutyle ca. primo ¶ The fyrste foole of the shyppe I am certayne That with my handes dresse the sayles all For to haue bookes I do all my besy payne Whiche I loue not to rede in specyall Nor them to se also in generall Wherfore it is a prouerbe all aboute Suche thynketh to knowe that standeth in doute YOnge folkes that entende for to knowe dyuers thyÌ„ges approche you vnto this doctryne it reuolue in your myndes organykes to the ende that ye maye comprehende and vnderstande the substaunce of it and that ye be not of the nombre of the fooles that vageth in this tempesteous flode of the worlde And you also the whiche haue passed the flourynge aege of your youthe to the ende that and ye be of the nombre of the fooles moundaynes that ye maye lerne somwhat for to detraye you out of the shyp stultyfere Wherfore vnderstande what the fyrste foole sayth beynge in the grete shyppe of fooles ¶ I am the fyrste in the shyppe vagaunte with the other fooles I tourne and hyse the cordes of the shyp saylynge ferre forth in the see I am founded full euyll in wytte in reason I am a grete foole for to affye me in a grete multytude of bokes I desyre alwaye and appetyteth newe inuencyons compyled mystycally and newe bookes in the whiche I can not comprehende the substaunce nor vnderstande nothynge But I doo my besy cure for to kepe them honestly from poudre dust I make my lectrons and my deskes clene ryght often My mansyon is all replenysshed with bookes I solace me ryght of ten for to se them open without ony thynge compylynge out of them ¶ Ptolomeus was a ryche Ptolomeus philadelphê° cuiê° memini Josephus si xii man the whiche constytued and commauÌ„ded that they sholde serche hym thorough euery regyon of the worlde the moost excellentest bookes that myght be founden And whan they had brought them all he kepte theym for a greate treasoure And that notwithstandynge he ensued not the ensygnementes nor the doctryne of the dyuyne sapyence how be it that he coude dyspose nothynge of the lyfe without it what bookes someuer he had nor compose ony thynge to the relefe of his body at that tyme. I haue redde in dyuers bookes in the whiche I haue studyed but a lytell whyle but oftentymes I haue passed the tyme in beholdynge the dyuersytees of the couerynges of my bookes It sholde be grete foly to me to applye by excessyue studye myn vnderstondynge vnto so many dyuers thynges where through I myghte lese my sensual intellygence for he that procureth for to knowe ouermoche and occupyeth hymself by excessyue studye is in daunger for to be extraught from hymself also euerychone is dyspensed be he a clerke or vnderstoÌ„de he nothyng yet he bereth the name of a lorde I may aswell commytte one in my place the whiche thynketh for to lerne scyence for hym and for me And yf that I fynde myselfe in ony place in the company of wyse men to the ende that I speke no latyn I shall condyscende vnto all theyr preposycyons for fere that I sholde not be reproched of that that I haue so euylly lerned ¶ O Prouerb v. doctours the whiche bereth the name and can nothynge of scyence for to eschewe grete dyshonoure come ne 〈…〉 in the company of lerned men our auncyent faders here before dyde not lerne theyr resplendysshynge scyence in the multytude of bookes but of an ardaunt desyre of a good courage They had not theyr spyrytes so vnstedfast as the clerkes haue at this present tyme it were more propyce for suche folkes for to bere asses eeres than for to bere the names of doctours and can nothynge of cunnynge ¶ Of good counsayll ca. secundo ¶ The counsayll the whiche dothe not well conserne His owne estate and grete affynyte And from others hurte dothe not his dyscerne Is well worthy to haue aduersyte Prouerb v And to be deiecte from prosperyte For he bryngeth the hogge vnto the pyt And afterwarde reuerseth hym in it HEre after ensueth of them that wyll haue entre in to the senate or in the courte of some grete lorde or prynce to the ende that they maye haue honoure and reuerence of the people in theyr countree and to be exalted before the other and it is they the whiche ben the leest Ecclesia ii experte in scyences as in lawe decrete and good couÌ„sell by suche folkes is obscurely couerde and hyd in vayne wordes and walketh by tenebrous centres At rome auncyently were good couÌ„sayllers wyse prudent and lettered the whiche canonykely and imperyally punysshed the malefactours and thynges yllycyte and vycyously done And the thynges that were good and honest they mayntened in multyplyenge from daye to daye the tranquylyte and welfare of the thynges publyke But at â—eneâ—â— this present tyme in many places be some couÌ„sellers gouernours of courtes as well seculers as ecclesyastykes that can not eschewe some euyll passage nor dyscerbe the lytyges and debates nor vnbynde the knotte that is bounden Yf that a presydent requyre hym for to gyue lib. ii ff de origi 〈◊〉 hym some good counsayll vpon some defuse mater he is so full of pryde and grauyte that he wyll not declare vnto hym no newe thynge also it sholde be agaynst reason for to make pure and clene water yssue out of a vessell the whiche is maculate fulsome He fleeth from the other and semeth that he wyll not saye neuer a worde vnto theyr preposycyons but he wyll not in noo maner of wyse gaynsaye them for fere lest they sholde dysprayse hym bycause of his vnreasonnable responce and vnconnynge and in this maner of wyse is the counsell corrumped lo how suche folke do Justyce the whiche dependeth vpon them Alas senate courte royall what forfayture what euyll nature what greuous euylles ys sueth from the that ought to be moder and nouryssher of Justyce Knowest thou not how that thy propre couÌ„sayllers assemble them togyder whan there is ony verdyte or sentence to be gyuen and yf that there be twayne of one semblable oppynyon the other wyl not empesshe the sentence be it egall or not and so lettteth it passe and by this reporte vniust the courte shall execute false Judgement Alas it is not ynoughe for to here the other ii q. iii. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tempus nor for to ensue theyr oppynyons ye must recyte and declare good
chapytre Who hereth not the wyse man speke noteth not well his wordes be fooles for they wyll not here of his correccyon wherfore they be folysshe The wyse hereth a foole accepte his correccyons thanketh hym to his power and thus he foloweth wysdome ê“uer x. Ecclia x 〈…〉 the whiche encreaseth in hym from daye to daye This fole is angry whan one sheweth hym of swete instrumentes And inlyke wyse whan one sheweth hym good documentes for to retorne hym from the foly that ê“uer xxiiii xxvi he is in and stere hym to do well he wyl not endure tyl the wyse man haue fynysshed his wordes for gayne 〈…〉 yenge hym and wyll not endure his good correccyon O foole I praye the that thou haue in mynde thy lytell Sapien. vii x. et xv Ad Rom. vi valour for it is as a florysshed rose that endure but alytell whyle Aduyse the than yf that thou be a mortall man ymagyne in thy selfe that thou arte made of the slyme of the erthe lesse than nothynge And how well that thou arte composed of suche mater yet thou arte natyf to haue scyence and reason by the gyfte of nature The vnresonable beestes haue not so hyghe gyftes of god Wherfore berest thou than these foly sshe and cursed passyons and vnhappy inclynacyons Hathe not god gyuen the frewyll wytte vnderstondynge and naturall dyscrecy on wylte thou be vnreasonable wylte thou be vyle and dyshonest as the beestes I praye the tell me what stereth the therto shewe me some reason Ignoraunt foole thou art gretely abused with folye Thou haste beaute corporell Eccle. xxv Psal. cxviii yongthe noblenesse of bloode and also of condycyons the gyftes of fortune strengthe of thy body fynaunce castelles townes palyces and almoost the beste thynges of the worlde sholde thou be therfore vnfruytfull Wenest thou to be ryght happy nay but vnhappy For the wyse man applyeth hymselfe to lerne good vertues and scyence and demaundeth to haue none other thynge He is the rychest of all other ryche men and yf he had Ec. iii. xvii Tulli. in pa. Eccle. vii Job ii not the valure of two nuttes none asketh goodes of hyÌ„ for he possedeth nothynge I praye the my good frende with all myn herte entyere that thou ensue this wyse man and here his document with a meke herte and take his iuste correccyon correcke thyself asprely for one hathe gretter auauntage to receyue good correccyon than to gyue credence to the foly sshe wordes of the flaterer at the fyrste tyme whan thou apperceyueth his lesynges for after that he hathe blandy sshed the he wyll mocke the behynde thy backe O god how he is happye the thynketh on the paynes of helle whan he dothe ony euyll thyÌ„ ê“uer vii Math. xi et xxiii ge and suffreth pacyently the aduersytees that god sendeth hym And I saye that he holdeth the waye to para dyse for he dothe euery thynge after ryght and reason ¶ Offoly sshe physycyens ca. lii ¶ Who vseth the arte of medecyne Takynge his knowlege in the felde He is a foole full of ruyne So to take herbes for his shelde Wenynge theyr vertue for to welde Whiche is not possyble for to knowe All theyr vertues bothe hye and lowe FOlysshe physycyens incontynent and with out ony lenger soâ—ournynge come and vy syte this chapytre and serche what euyll it endureth Justi de le acâ— iperitia ff de re 〈◊〉 iperitia xxix dis c. fi Sene. de cleâ—â—cÌ„ ad Nero Eccle. x. et xliiii ê“uerbi vi hye you and ye shall be well contented for ye may comprehende more goodnes than to go bete the stones This foole may mounte into the heyght of our shyppe he shal serue vs of medecynes in this daungerous company for he vysyteth dyuers seke men infecte with daungerous infyrmytees and pro myseth for to hele them and yet he hathe no more knowledge in that arte than a calfe for he muste fyrste loke in his bookes for to haue knowledge and to se the sure opynyons of the doctours And then he cometh to the seke man more quycker than an orchyn and the meane whyle the pacyent is almoost deed for or he be in the house the seke man is deed His medecyne is folysshe and cometh Eccle. xxxviii Jo. an de seÌ„ cc. c. 〈◊〉 li. vi to late Dyuers ygnoraunt fooles excercy seth this scyence by wanhope and yet they can nothynge for they had neuer pacyence for to vysyte theyr bookes wel and also bycause that they knowe nothynge they wyl none haue The artes of Pollydare of Galyen and of ypocras suche Sapien. xii folkes seketh not but a grete sorte of bookes arbory stes that be in frensshe or in engly sshe for to vnderston de them the better and in lyke wyse they folowe the me decynes of the same wherby they slee and murdre many one And on the other parte there is a grete sorte of olde wytches that vseth medecynes and false charmes abuseth dyuers folkes and putteth themselfe in grete daunger for to receyue some greuous maladye or peryl of dethe the whiche for prechynge amendeth them not for they gyue the poore folkes to vnderstonde that they haue heled and cured many greuous maladyes And gyueth the medecyne of the yonge men to the olde and that of the olde and auÌ„cyent men to the yonge without hauynge ony aspecte vnto the complexyons of men and glo in c. fâ— xxix dis Tessalla Luculus Seneca Chiringicê° Sapien. 〈◊〉 without deferrynge of the hote medecyne from the colde And gyueth the same medecyne to the fader that he gyueth to the sone and that of the doughter to the moder They hele and guary sshe all maladyes and sekenesses as tessalla the wyse that counterfetted Cuculus Tell me surgyen who hathe lerned the this good for to be suche an ydyot and mayster mondefye euery body with alblaster and with that oyntemente he le all maladyes Thou arte a fole and resembleth vnto hym the whiche had the name of a physycyen coude nothynge as touchynge the true scyence And in this estate he counsaylleth a seke man of dyuers thynges yet he neuer sawe the lawe Wherfore neuer take the name of a good physycyen vpon you vnto the tyme that ye haue vysyted sene the for sayd scyence ouer and ouer and that ye may hele and guary sshe all maner of sekenesses maladyes what someuer they be And yf that ye do otherwyse knowe for a certaynte that ye be of the nombre of the fooles of our shyppe fletynge vpon the tempestyous flode of the mondanytees of this worlde and be folysshe maysters There be some physycyens that knoweth also well the water of a seke man in the botom of a morter as in an vrynall The other sayth in lyke wyse that they shall knowe it in the vryne of a henne or of a sowe and yet they haue as moche scyence as a
fi c. a crapula de vi 〈◊〉 ho. 〈◊〉 Hora. in epis Persius de reli 〈◊〉 ve san c. i. xxxv dis lux the they receyue all drynkes They prouoke the one the other in theyr houses and then they drynke so excessyfly that it ouercometh theyr stomackes And drynke vnto theyr god Bacchus the one vnto the other by cuppes pottes full enforcynge themself ouer theyr naturall my ghte And thus they spyllby excesse bothe the body and the soule After that they haue well dronken they fyght lyke beggers fallynge in the fylthe and myre lyke swyne And afterwarde they are syke haue theyr membres contamyned the synewes retrayed leseth theyr wyttes and vnderstondynges in slepynge lyke beres O pore fooles be ye not ashamed to do suche enormytees in a place where as ye shall neuer wynne honour At the table you ought to be honest but ye be so vyllaynous that many lerneth euyl condycyons of you It appertayneth not to you to be with good folkes It is sene at this tyme Eccle. xxxi Osee. iiii Luce. xxi puer xii et xxii Curius Luce. xiiii puer xxv Leui. xix iusti de iutÌ„ na i. glo fi r co li. 〈◊〉 bo posses de of in c. i. sardanapalê° iustinê° li. i. de sepul ca. certi futuri c. qr diuersi de conclusi prebendaruÌ„ Terentius Persius quitiliar us l. ii ff ad tre bel qr pote puer iii. ad collo iii. Thobie ii Esaie li. i. thess ii 〈◊〉 v. aristo ii de anima Ecclesi v. Horatius Eccâ— xxxvii Tulliê° in of Seneca Juuenalis that the yonge wyllsytte aboue the olde They ete delycyous metes without ony shame for be it burgeyse marchaunt or other they put themselfe euer before the platter they drynke in etynge of theyr potage they consume all And with theyr vyllaynous handes they wyl touche the mete before the other They wyll blowe theyr noses and without ony mesure wyll ete theyr mete and wyll drynke without makynge clene of theyr mouthes and then they synge with dysplayed throtes in makyng many vyle sacrefyces to the god Bacchus Then they breke pottes glasses platters dysshes and saucers in hurlyÌ„ge them vpon the erthe as men enraged and out of their naturall wyttes and then at drynkynge tyme they ete that the whiche the seruauntes sholde ete O Sardana palus thou hast dyuers companyons in the worlde for we wyll not put all these glotons in our werke that haue no fourme for to lyue honestly How well that the one is of Grece the other latyns or hebrewes eche hathe his maner to lyue The one is fatte the other is lene after the maner of theyr countrees Some be symple the other gracyous and honest Some is vertuous and wyse the other is dronkertes and glotons Then after that they haue eten and dronken so moche that theyr belyes aketh they demaunde the realme of paradyse They haue theyr thought to superfluous to thynke for to go to paradyse in that maner Alas Ihesus thou haste made vs for to drynke wyne and ete mete in this worlde But also thou hast coÌ„maunded vs that we be no glotons that we take our repast moderately Alas our bodyes fumeth of haboundaunce of metes We haue truste that by stronge drynkynge our lyues shall be prolonged and in lyke wyse that the wyne wyll make vs haue good blode and also that our soules is vpholden by the blode for al that god sayeth it not but hathe ordeyned mesure tyme and houre to ete and drynke for who that is excessyfe he consumeth body and soule and abredgeth his lyfe All vertues were somtyme in noblenesse and in the courtes of prynces But nowe at this present tyme they be more astonyed than gese They are all corrumped with dronkeÌ„nes pompes and estates ful of flateryes they haue lost the name of the auncyent men and are renowmed vndyscrete men The werkes of the auncyent men appety teth by the holy lawes that they haue wryten dyuers other bookes And nowe they knowe nothynge no more than wylde beestes and scyence is gouerned by the pore and vertuous men eleuate in honour and be oftentymes preferred afore the noblenesse ¶ Of foles dysfygured takynge straunge clothynges ca. C. vii ¶ Democrytus the sapyent By this that he sawe so grete foly Of fooles that were neclygent He laughed faste and that on hye Bycause they coude no polycye And Cynycus wepeth ryght fast Bycause that the worlde is not stedfast YF demochrytus lyued that he sawe so many fooles as is in the worlde now he wolde laughe Crassus wolde laughe also to se the enormytees of the mondayne fooles the whiche ê“uer xiiii Juuenalis l. siâ—s C. de pe Pliniê° li. vii Solinus Crassus De. vi 〈◊〉 ho. cle cuÌ„ decoreÌ„ had neuer wyll for to laughe but ones Wherfore the auncyent phylosophers haue wylled for to wryte it not with stondynge he wolde laughe at the obscure tempestes and to se the fooles garded and bordred dysfygured the whiche be full of vyces and synnes and weneth to be iuste One may knowe them for they reseÌ„ble the preestes of god Mars whiche wyll doo sacrefyce in grete furoure and apparaylleth them for to doo this vyle sacrefyce remeuynge theyr bodyes in manere of a daunce These fooles bere the vesture of a symulacre Druyde de quibê° lucanê° Menades Persiê° sati i. resemble a Chymere one wayleth wepeth The other bycause that he wolde appere fayre anoyÌ„teth hym with swete oyntemeÌ„tes the one hathe his vysage mortefyed olde they bere the vesture of a lusty galant the other haue euer borowed clothes the other haue party clothes the other haue theyr gownes of getyque and thus they make theyr pompes The other couÌ„terfetteth the deuylles vysage ferefull and abhomynable The louer bereth Lemures de quibus Dui Eccle. xxv C. de epi. câ— l. mime in anÌ„t de san epi. col ix Saturnalia CoÌ„pitalitia MaÌ„murius an instrument of musyque playnge swetely to the ende that the yonge maydens may here it or afore the dore of some burgeyse or wyfe rennynge vpon the nyght in lesynge theyr tyme vycyously the mayden reioyseth her thynkynge all on decepcyons And corrumpeth the hertes of these tendre maydens and the lycoure vyrgynall theyr softe beddes and by all dyssolucyons that is done in this worlde thrughe the vyle synners The other shall come in to thy house and stele thy hennes Who that fleeth not from suche folke shall coÌ„mytte innumerable synnes for they do incessauntly noyses debates cryes and exclamacyons They represent them that make the feest of saturne as men out of theyr wyttes goynge with peruers hertes crabbed as the ape hydynge theyr vysages with some other hydeous face that resembleth almoost the dethe and theyr bodyes couered with vyle vestures Faber C. de pe l. si quis de cri fal ad audi entiam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fucare O peruers fooles wyll you chaunge your natures
that occupyeth the tyme in this lecture yf you fynde ony faute please it you to excuse the capacyte of me the yongthe that I am yet in consyderȳge that there is none so well shodde but that they may slyde somtyme ¶ Hereafter foloweth the table OF bookes inutyle ca. i. Of good counsaylles ca. ii Of auaryce and prodygalyte ca. iii. Of newe customes and guyses ca. iiii Of auncyent fooles ca. v. ¶ Of the doctryne of chyldren ca. vi ¶ Of reporters and detractours ca. vii ¶ Not for to ensue good counsayll ca. viii ¶ Of condycyons vncomposed ca. ix ¶ Of the lysyon of amyte ca. x. ¶ Of the contempnynge of scrypture ca. xi ¶ Of the fooles vnpuruayed ca. xii ¶ Of loue venerous ca. xiii ¶ Of them that synne vpon the mercy of god ca. xiiii ¶ Of fooles makynge edefyces ca. xv ¶ Of dronkerdes and gloutons ca. xvi ¶ Of rychesses mutyle ca. xvii ¶ Of the seruyce of two maysters ca. xviii ¶ To speke to moche ca. xix ¶ Of them that correcke other synne themself xx ¶ To fynde goodes and yelde them not agayne c. xxi ¶ Of the conscyon of sapyence ca. xxii ¶ Of iactacyon and confydence in fortune ca. xxiii ¶ Of to grete curyosyte ca. xxiiii ¶ To take on truste ca. xxv ¶ Of petycyons and vowes iutyle ca. xxvi ¶ Of the studye mutyle ca. xxvii ¶ Of them that speke folysshely agaynst god ca. xxviii ¶ On other to giue Jugement ca. xxix ¶ Of them that charge them with benefyces ca. xxx Of them that desyre frō day to day to amende thē xxxi ¶ Of them that wyll kepe theyr wyues ca. xxxii ¶ Of aduoutrye ca. xxxiii ¶ Of hym that is folysshe in all ceasons ca. xxxiiii ¶ Of angre that procedeth of a lytell cause ca. xxxv ¶ Of the mutabylyte of fortune ca. xxxvi ¶ Of the vnpacyence in sekenes ca. xxxvii ¶ Of consultacyons to euydente ca. xxxviii ¶ How they oughte to be wyse by the experyence of the euyll that they se fooles commytte ca. xxxxix ¶ Not for to haue cure of detraccyons and vayne wordes of euery body ca. xl ¶ Of subsanatours and detractours ca. xli ¶ Of the contempnynge of the Joye eternall ca. xlii ¶ Of the ianglynge that is done in the chirche ca. xliii ¶ Of them that inclyne them with theyr wylles to suffre dethe ca. xliiii ¶ Of the waye and felycyte and payne to come of dely tes and synnes purchaced ca. xlv ¶ Of the euyll example of the moost gretest ca. xlvi ¶ Of voluptuosyte corporell ca. xlvii ¶ Of them that may not hyde themselfe ca. xiviii ¶ Of them that wedde wyues for theyr rychesses xlix ¶ Of enuye ca. l. ¶ Of the vnpacyence of correccyon ca. li. ¶ Of vnconnynge and folysshe physycyens ca. lii Of the dolorous departynge frō the puyssaūce of heuen lz ¶ Of predestynacyon ca. liiii ¶ To forgete hymselfe ca. lv ¶ Of the vyce of ingratytude ca. lvi ¶ Of the daunces that be made ca. lvii ¶ Of players on instrumentes by nyght ca. lviii ¶ Of maundyens and theyr vanytees ca. lix ¶ Of the condycyons angre grete shrewednes of women ca. lx ¶ Of the purssaunce of fooles ca. lxi ¶ Of the cure of astronomye ca. lxii ¶ Of hym that wyll wryte and enquyre of all regyons and countrees ca. lxiii ¶ Of hym that wyll not be a foole lxiiii ¶ Of them that vnderstonde no playes ca. lxv ¶ Of the vnpacyence of some ca. lxvi ¶ Of the vnpacyence of some that wyll not abyde and wyll do euyll ca. lxvii ¶ Of the vnpuruayenge for the tyme to come ca. lxviii ¶ Of the lytygantes or pleaders in iugement ca. lxix ¶ Of fooles abhomynable in wordes ca. lxx ¶ Of the estate spyrytuell ca lxxi ¶ Of iactaunce ca. lxxii ¶ Of players lxxiii ¶ Of fooles surprysed ca. lxxiiii Of knightes men of armes scrybes practiciēs lxxv ¶ Of folysshe legacyons and messengers ca. lxxvi ¶ Of dyspencers kepers of sellers in a house lxxvii ¶ Of the excessyfe arrogaunce rustyke ca. lxxviii ¶ Of the dyspreysynge of pouerte ca. lxxix ¶ Not for to perseuer in goodnes ca. lxxx ¶ Of the contempnynge dyspraysynge of deth lxxxi ¶ Of the dyspraysynge of god ca. lxxxii ¶ Of the blasphemers of god ca. lxxxiii ¶ Of the plage of god ca. lxxxiiii ¶ Of the folysshe permutacyon ca. lxxxv ¶ For to honour fader and moder ca. lxxxvi ¶ Of the cauyllacyon of preestes ca. lxxxvii ¶ Of the demonstraunce of pryde ca. lxxxviii ¶ Of vsurers and feneratours ca. lxxxix ¶ Of the vayne esperaunce to haue succede lxxxx ¶ Not for to kepe the holydayes ca. lxxxxi ¶ To gyue his goodes after to repente hym lxxxxii ¶ Of the vyce of slouthe ca. lxxxxiii ¶ Of the fooles infydeles ca. lxxxxiiii ¶ Of the inclynacyon of the fayth catholyke and of the empyre ca. lxxxxv ¶ Of assentatours blandysshers flaterers and scummers of the courte ca. lxxxxvi ¶ Of delayers and vayne reporters ca. lxxxxvii ¶ Of falshode and fraudes ca. lxxxxviii ¶ Of the Antecryste ca lxxxxix ¶ Of hym that hydeth trouthe ca. C. ¶ To withdrawe the good dede ca. Ci. ¶ Of the obmyssyon of good werkes ca. Cii ¶ Of the laude of sapyence ca. Ciii ¶ Of the dyspraysynge of his vnfortune ca. Ciiii. ¶ Of the detraccyon of goodes ca. Cv. ¶ Of the vnmoderate etynge at the table ca. Cvi ¶ Of the true dyscrypcyon of a prudent man Cvii ¶ Of the commendacyon or recommendacyon of phylosophye ca. Cviii. ¶ Concertacyon of vertue with voluptuosyte Cix ¶ Obieccyon of voluptuosyte blamynge vertues Cx. ¶ The answer of vertue to voluptuosyte ca. Cxi ¶ The shyppe latyne or barge socyale ca Cxii ¶ Of the shyppe socyale mecanyke ca. Cxiii ¶ Of the syngularyte of some newe fooles ca Cxiiii ¶ Of them that wyll corrumpe the ryght ca Cxv. ¶ Of them that do all thynges contrary ca. Cvi Finis tabule ¶ Argument in the shyppe of Fooles of this Worlde FOr the felycyte and salute of all the humayne gendre is compyled and dyrecte the shyppe of fooles of this transytory worlde in the whiche ascendeth all they that vageth from the waye of trouthe and from the playne exhortacyon of the intellectyue vnderstondynge in transmutable and obscure thoughtes of the frayle body Wherfore this present boke may be called satyre notwithstondynge that the fyrste auctoure dyde delyte hym in the newe intytulacyon of this present booke for ryght so as by the poesyes and fyccyons the auncyent poetes dyde correcte the vyces and fragylytees of mortall men ¶ Semblably this present pagyne specifyeth before theyr syght the estate and condycyon of men to the ende that as a myrroure they beholde the meurs and rectytude of lyfe Neuertheles thynke not ye lectours that I haue worde by worde dyrecte and reduced this presente booke oute of Frensshe in to our maternall tongue of Englysshe for I haue