to mans nature as y e thing in which we differre from other beastes and also is necessary for the comly gouernance of mannes lyfe shall here be spoken of not reasoned to the tryall but simply and rudely declared yet so that suche as therin delite although not fully satisfied shall not be vtterly deceyued of their pourpose ¶ Of the begynnyng of morall Philosophye Cap. iii. NEcessitie as I iudge that not without cause was the firste fynder out of morall Philosophye Experience whiche is a good teacher was the first master therof taught suche as gaue diligence to marke considre thiÌ„ges to teache and instruct other therin and because Socrates in a maner despisyng the other two kyndes of Philosophy added this as the thyrd taught it more thaÌ„ any of the rest therfore because men must be the begynners of mennes matters I assente with Laertius to call hym the first beginner therof For although euen among the Atheniences the Sages as Thales and Solon both spake and wrot of lyke matter before him yet because he so ernestly embraced it and equally placed it with the other twayne he deserueth well the glory of the firste beginner therof and although he wrote it not in bokes for whiche as him thought he had a lawefull excuse or rather a good cause yet his disciple Plato hath writen suche thinges of his teaching as fewe so fully wrote of before whiche was as it is euydent many yeres before Iesus the sonne of Sirache whose worke we for the puritie of the doctrine therin conteyned reuerence and honour which as he hym selfe calleth it is a boke of morall wisedome thought full of diuinitie as are also many of Platoes workes as witnesseth Saint Augustine And therfore because Socrates was before Iesus Sirache I referre the inuention I shulde saye the beginning therof vnto hym As for Salomons workes are more diuine than morall therfore I rather worship in hym the diuinitie than ascribe the beginnyng of moral Philosophie wishing al men and exhortyng them both to learne and to folowe those so diuine and holy workes vttered by hym in his boke of prouerbes ¶ Of the kyndes of teachyng of morall Philososophye Cap. iiii AL that haue written of morall Philosophye haue for y e most part taught it either by preceptes counsell and lawes orels by prouerbes parables semblables For whiche cause it may well be deuyded into iii. kyndes of whiche the first is by councelles lawes preceptes of which Licurgus Solon Isocrates Cato and other more haue written muche Councellyng and admonishinge men to vertue by preceptes by theyr lawes fraying theÌ„ from vice The seconde kynde of teaching is by Prouerbes Adages whiche kynde of Philosophers most commonly is vsed in whiche they shewe y e contrarieties of thinges ferryng alwaye the best declaring therby both the profites of vertue the inconuenieÌ„ces of vices y t we consideryng bothe maye embrace the good and eschue the euyll The thyrde kynde is by Parables Examples and SeÌ„blables Wherin by esye and familier truthes harder thinges more out of vse are declared that by y e one the other maye be better perceyued borne in mynd whiche waye oure sauiour Christ hym selfe whan he taught y e grosse Iues any diuine thing most commonly vsed Parrables semblables and examples though differing in sumwhat drawe al to one kynde The which kynde Esopus moste of all vsed alludyng and bryngyng vnreasonable thinges to teache and instructe men in graue wayghtye matters ¶ The order of this boke Cap. v. OF these .iii. kyndes of morall Pholosophye last rehearsed consisteth this worke euery kynde by it selfe sundred into a boke that it maye the better be vnderstande of all that shall reade the same the matter of all whiche thre is gathered out of the workes of the most pure auncient Philosophers and specially of these foloyng Mercurius trismegistus Hermes Pythagoras Italicus Thales Milesius Solon Salaminus Chilo Lacedemoniencis Bias Prienneus Periander of Corinth Anacharcis the Scithian Etius Myson Cheneus Cpimenides Cretensis Anaxagoras Eubulinus Phericides the Sirian Socrates of Athens Xenophon of Athens Aristippus of Athens Plato Atheniencis diuinus Isocrates Xenocrates of Calcedonie Archelaus Aristoteles Stagirites Diogenes Plutarche Seneca And for so muche as the good lyfe of a man is cause of his better estimation the liues of all these before named shal be first shewed in a boke by theÌ„selues wherin also parte of theyr wyttye answers are conteyned whiche is set forthe onely for thys pourpose that we Christians ashamed of our selues in beholdyng the lyues of these Heathen persons maye amende and folowe the good doctrine that they haue taught vs. In the seconde booke whiche is called the booke of preceptes and counselles shal be declared what these men thought of god of the soule of y e worlde of death of freÌ„dshyp of counsell of silence of ryches and of pouertie wyth theyr wittie sayinges of and concerning the same matters After whyche theyr good preceptes orderly shall followe In the thyrde boke whiche is the boke of prouerbes or pytthy sayinges shal thinges be shewed worthy of memorie In the ende wherof shal folowe some of theyr principall sentences drawen into meter to the intent they maye be the eselyer learned and better kept in mynde In in forthe boke called the boke of parables or semblables shall appeare y e greate zeale y t the Phylisophers alwayes haue had to teache by all maner meanes that wit might ymagin this so precious and nedeful a science to all kynde of people And yf it shall chaunce that in any of these bookes thorough Ignoraunce or Negligence somewhat shall be misordered or not to fully handled as it shulde be and as the matter requyreth The excuse shal be y t in this treatise no perfection is pretended and onely is set forth as a shewe to make men thereby desirouse to haue the perfection of y e thing whiche it representeth And lyke as a whetstone although it be dull it selfe yet causeth instrumentes to be more keneâ— So by this bluÌ„t treatise suche as are apt ther vnto shal be prouoked to set forth better This beyng in the meane whyle vsed as a preparation to others workes whiche here vpon maye folowe Nowe the order and intent of the boke beyng knowen there is no daunger but that with iudgement the proces maye both be red learned and folowed ¶ The lyues and wittye answers of the Philophers and first of Hermes Cap. vi FOr as muche as of all the philosophers of whome we pourpose to wryte Hermes otherwyse called Mercuriê° Trismegistus is not onely the most excellent but also the most auncient therfore as he is most worthy his lyfe shal be first declared which because it is not wholly set forth nor all agreing in y t whiche is set forth therfore geuyng credit to the most true wryters it shal be set furth as they among them by pyeces haue preserued it Of whome saynt
the oration is good and excellent but surely it is nothing mete for me for why it was more iudiciall than shulde seme mete for a Philosopher and whan Lisias demauÌ„ded of hym sith it was good why it was not mete for hym he sayde Garmentes shoes maye be bothe good and fayre yet vnfit for me but while he was iudged it is sayde that Plato stode vp in his defence could not be suffered And so he was condemned by .lxxx. iudges and cast into prison For whom the prince of Athens was very sory but the centence whiche the iudges had geuen vpon him whiche was y t he shulde drynke poyson coulde not be reuoked The kyng had a ship frayght with sacrafices whiche he offered to his ydols whiche than was abrode and he wolde neuer geue any sentence vpon any mannes death before it came to Athens Wherefore one of Socrates frendes called Inclites counsayled him to geue a certayne summe of moneye to the kepers to let him scape away secretly and so to go to Rome but Socrates sayde he had not so muche ThaÌ„ sayde Inclytes I and thy frendes haue so muche whiche we wylle gladly geue to saue thy lyfe yf thou wilt To whyche Socrates answered I thanke you and my frendes but syth thys citie wherein I muste suffre my death is the natural place of my byrthe I had rather dye here than els where for yf I dye here in my countrye without deseruyng onely because I reproue theyr wickednes and theyr worshipping of vayne ydols and wolde haue them worship the true god yf these men of myne owne nation persecute me for saying and maintaining truthe euen so wyll stranngers wheresoeuer I become for I wil neuer spare to say the truthe and surely strauÌ„gers wolde haue lesse mercye on me than myne owne countreye folkes Beying thus mynded he contynued styll in prison teaching his scholers which resorted to him many thiÌ„ges both of the composition of elementes and also of the soule but wolde wryte nothing for he sayde that wysedome ought to be wrytten in mennes hartes and not in beastes skynnes neuertheles his disciple Plato wrote welny all y t he taught A litle before he shulde be put to death he desired that he might bath hym selfe and saye hys orations whiche he dyd and called his wyfe and chyldren and gaue them good instruction And whan he went towarde the place where he shulde fynish his lyfe his wyfe went after hym cryinge Alas my husbande dyeth gyltles to whome he sayde why woman woldest thou haue me dye otherwyse and sent her awaye So when the cup of poyson was delyuered hym to drynke hys frendes begaÌ„ne to wepe wherefore he blamed them sayinge I sent away the wemen because they shuld not do as you do Than Pollidotus profered hym a precious garment to dye in to whom he sayde hath not myne owne cote serued me to lyue in why than maye it not as well serue me to dye in And than after he had commended his soule to god he dranke the confection as he was in trauayle of death one of disciples sayd O Socrates well of wisdome yet teache vs sumwhat whyle thy speche lasteth to whome he answered I can teache you none otherwise now dying thaÌ„ I taught you in my life time Thus finished he his most godly life being lxx yeres olde His goodly sayinges shal be spoken of in theyr places ¶ Of Xenophon Cap. xix XEnophon the sonne of Grillus was borne an Athens he was shamefaste exceding bewtifull It is sayde that Socrates met hym in a narrowe laue and wold not let him passe tyll he had answered him to dyuers questions and whan he axed hym where men were made good and bad at whiche he stayed and could not tell Socrates sayed cum with me and learne And so he did untill suche tyme as he went to Cyrus whose fauour he obteyned became in great reputation with him and wrote all his actes he had a womaÌ„ also called Philesia which folowed him of whome he had two children He had much trouble in his lyfe and was banished fled from place to place till he came to Corinth where he had an house And whan y e Atheniences entended to succoure the Lacedemonians he sent his two sonnes called Diodorus Grillus to Athens to fyght for the Lacedemonians from whiche battayle Diodorus returned without doing any great feate but Gryllus fyghtyng manfully amonge the horsemen dyed about Mantinia And when Xenophon whiche was doyng sacrifice with his crowne on hys head hearde that his sonne was ded he put of his crowne and when he afterwardes hearde that he dyed fyghtyng valiantly he put it on agayne not so sory for his death as ioyous for his valiantyse He dyed at the citie Corinthum as saieth Demetrius being very olde a man both good and valyant expert in tydyng and huntyng and greatly skilled in marciall affayres as appeareth by his workes He was also religious muche intentyue about sacrifice was a folower of Socrates He wrote .xl. bokes intytled euery one by a sondrye name Tucidides workes which by negligence were lost he brought to light And was him selfe so pleasauÌ„t in his style that he was called the muse of Athens There were more of this name of whom this is the chiefe whose good sayinges preceptes hereafter shal be touched ¶ Of Aristippus Cap. xx ARtistippê° as sayeth Elchines came to Athens to heare Socrates whose excelent wysdome was spoken of euery where But whan Socrates was dead he flattered Dionisius and became a courtier He was a merye wytted fellowe coulde forme him selfe mete to all times and places in so muche that Diogenes called hym the kynges hounde whan he on a tyme had espyed Dyogenes gatherynge herbes and makyng potage he sayd yf thou Diogenes couldest flatter Dionise thou shuldest not nede to make wortes To whome Dyogenes sayde yf thou also couldest be content to eate and gather wortes thou shuldest not nede to flatter Dionise WheÌ„ one made his boast that he had learned much he sayd that learnyng consisted not in the greatnes but in the goodnes To one that made greate bragges of his swymmyng he sayde Art not y u ashamed to boast of this whiche euery Dolphin can do Beyng reproued because he hyred a rethoricien to pleade hys cause he sayde whan I make a banket I hyre a coke to When his seruauÌ„t whiche iourneyed with hym was tyred w t the wayght of the moneye whiche he caryed he sayde that whiche is to heauy cast out and that whiche thou canst carye Byon sayth that as he sayled perceyuynge that he was in a Pyrats shyppe he toke his moneye and counted it than as against his wyll let it fall out of his hande into the sea mourned for it outwardelye but sayde inwardly to hym selfe it is better that thys be lost of me that I be lost for this Dionisiê° commaunded that all his seruauntes shulde daunce in purple robes
daunger of his frendes rather than froÌ„ his enemies and beyng demaunded of one that hearde him why he prayed so he sayde as for myne enemy I can beware of for why I trust him not so can I not of my frende because I trust him Beyng asked what a maÌ„ ought not to do although it were iust and true he answered to prayse hym selfe He liued .cii. yeares and dyed for very age was buryed honorablye The rest of his sayinges shal be spoken of hereafter ¶ Of Plutarche Cap. xxviii PLutarche y e Philosopher was a man of a wondrefull wyt well brought vp in hys youthe well instructed in maners well furnyshed in al kyndes of learnyng which growing vp as wel iÌ„ vertue learniÌ„g as in body yeares was chosen that worthely to be the instructer of y e Emperour Traiane whome he so well instructed that his glorye therby was greatly augmented as it is sayde in Policrato the fifth boke He was faythfull in his sayinges and eloquent in hys wordes and very diligent ware in his maners of a chaste lyfe and good conuersation He gaue hys mynde muche to instruct teache other and wrote manye bokes of whiche one intytled the education of youthe whyche we haue in the English tonge drawne therinto by the excellent famous knyght Sir Thomas Eliote whose good zeale loue bothe to further good learning to profyt his countrey appeareth as well therby as by other many workes which he hath payned him selfe to bryng iÌ„to our laÌ„guage sheweth wel his good affectioÌ„ y t he had to y e coÌ„moÌ„ weale He wrote an other boke called y e institution of Traiane In whiche he setteth out the office of a Prince what he ought to be so excellently as no maÌ„ can ameÌ„de it He wrote al so an other boke entitled Archigrammatum wherin he teacheth rulers officers howe to gouerne them selues w t diuers other thinges among whiche the letter that he wrote to Traiane what tyme he was created Emperour is worthye to be remembred in the ende wherof he sayth thus Thou shalte rule al thinges euen as thou woldest yf thou go not from thy selfe and yf thou dispose all thy workes to vertue all thinges shal prosper w t the And as touching y e gouernauÌ„ce of thy coÌ„mon weale I haue taught the therin already whiche yf y u shalte folowe me thy master Plutarche as an example of good lyuyng but yf y u do otherwyse thaÌ„ shal this my lettre be my wytnes y t I gaue the neyther couÌ„cel neyther any example thervnto WhaÌ„ he was aged he dyed was buried honorably his goodly prouerbes adages parables semblables shal folowe iÌ„ theyr places ¶ Of Seneca Cap. xxix SEneca the Philosopher an excellent well learned maÌ„ was borne in Corduba and therof called Cordubences He was disciple to Stratus the stoycke and was Lucane the Poetes countreyman He floryshed at Rome in the tyme of the Emperour Tyrant Nero whom he taught in his youth iÌ„ learnyng and maners whiche afterwardes was cause of hys deathe In the tyme of this Seneca Peter and Paule came to Rome and preched there And whan many of Nero y e Emperours house gathered togyther to heare Paule Seneca amonge the test was so familier w t him delighted so muche to heare the diuine science and wysdome whiche he sawe in him y t it greued him to be seperate at any tyme froÌ„ his coÌ„munication insomuche than whan he might not talke with him mouth to mouth he vsed communicatioÌ„ by letters oft sent betwene them He read also the wrytynges and doctrines of Paule before the Emperour Nero and got him the loue and fauour of euery bodye Insomuch that y e Senate wondered muche at Paule This Seneca was a man of a verye chaste lyfe so good that sainct Iherom numbreth hym in hys bederowe of Sayntes prouoked therto by his Epistles whiche are entytled Seneca to Paule Paule to Seneca After he lyued in to a meane age he was slayne of Nero the tyraunt two yeares before Peter Paule suffered theyr gloryoê° martyrdome For Nero on a daye beholdyng hym callyng to mynde howe he whan he was his master dyd beat him he conceyued hatred agaynst hym and beyng desyroê° to reuenge hym selfe and to put hym to deathe gaue hym lycence to chose what kynde of deathe he woulde wherfore Seneca seynge that his tyranny coulde not be appeysed and supposyng that to dye in a bayne was y e easyest kynde of deathe desyred to be let bloode in the vaynes of his armes and so dyed which death as some thynke was forshewed in his name Seneca that is to saye se necans whiche signifyeth in Englishe a kyller of him selfe He wrote in his lyfe time many goodly bokes out of whiche shal be pyked some of y e most piththy sentences bothe of preceptes and counsayles and also of Prouerbes Adages Parables and Semblables whyche in theyr places hereafter shall folowe And because the lyues of these before written are sufficient for our pourpose and because we be desyrous to be as shorte as we myght be here wyll we finish the firste boke desyrynge all men that the same shall rede to folowe the good vertues that therin are contayned The ende of the first Boke In this first boke of Phylosophers lyues Wherin theyr answers are partly contayned A man may learne as chauÌ„ce therto him dryues To shape an answer Or yf he be constrayned To wrath or anger or other passions lyke Here shal he see howe lyke lustes wer refrayned Of Hethen men who thought it shame to strike WheÌ„ good occasioÌ„ oftymes theÌ„ therto payned ¶ The seconde boke intytled of preceptes and counsayles ¶ Of the profite of morall Philosophy Cap. i. IT is not vnknowen to any which haue any knowlege at al how profitable necessary nedefull it is for meÌ„ to haue y e knowlege of morall Philosophy In whiche whoso is ignorant is worse than a brute beast and therfore it mought here haue wel ben omytted Yet neuerthelesse to satisfye y t desires of some and to stop the mouthes of other some whiche peraduenture wolde be glad accordyng to the prouerbe to seke a knot in a rishe and agayne to helpe and encourage other whom eyther ignoraunce or neglygence holdeth backe it semeth necessary though not all yet at y e least to shewe some of y e innumerable commodities that there vnto be ioyned Wherin omittyng the discommodities whiche for lacke therof daylye augment growe as malice hatred enuy pryde lacke of loue deceytes robberies theftes murthers bluddy battayles seditions decaye of cities decaye of common weales spoyling of realines and vtter desolation of people and kyngdomes what can be a greater commoditie than for euery man peaceably to possesse his owne whiche peaceable agrement sith it can none other wayes be got nor when it is got be preserued but by loue whych only springeth of agremente in maners and morall vertues what
he had taken in battayle Antipater desyred hym to dyne with hym whiche he denying sayde I come not to dyne banket nor to take pleasure with the but to redeme my felowes froÌ„ the sorowes whiche they suffre w t the when Antipater heard the wisedome and sawe the constant mynd of the man gently entertaynynge him deliuered his prisoners WhaÌ„ Dionisius in his presence sayde to Plato some bodye shall take from the thy head he sayde y t shall they not except they take awaye myne fyrste He lyued holylye and wrote excedyng many goodly workes dyed beyng .lxxxii. yeres olde His goodlye counselles shal be spoken of in theyr places ¶ Of Archelaus Cap. xxiii ARchelaus y e sonne of Seuthê° as sayeth Appollodorê° was a good Philosopher and verye studyous in Platos workes He was first an hearer of Antilochus a Mathematycke and afterward of Theophrastus He was a verye wyttye felowe and of a prompt spirit and graue in communication muche excercised in wrytynge gaue hys mynde to poetrye He delyted so muche in Homer that euery nyght before he slept he wolde rede somwhat He learned geometry of Hipponicus was thereto so dull yet so well learned in y e crafte that he wolde saye that geometry fell into his mouth as he gaped Hearyng men singynge meaters that he had made ylfauouredly he kicked them on the sydes sayinge ye breake myne and I wyll breake poures Being called to a sicke maÌ„ perceyuyng that he was sicke for thought lacke of ryches he conueyed vnder hys pyllowe a sacke full of money whiche he fyndyng was so ioyouse that he recouered strayt wayes Whan he was byd to solute a ryddle at a banket he sayde that y e chefest poynt of wysedome was to knowe to what pourpose the time was meatest To him that asked him why many scholers of euerye secte became Epicures but none of the Epicures became of other sectes he sayde because y t cockes were made of men but neuer men of cockes or as some saye capons be made of cockes but neuer cockes of capons Beynge reproued because he chalenged not a yong man whome he had ryght to he excused hym pretely saying It is not possible to drawe softe chese with an hoke Beynge asked what maÌ„ was most in trowble thought and care he sayde He that desyreth most to be at quyet and rest beyng asked whether it were better to marye a fayre woman or a fowle he answered yf thou mary a foule one thou shalte haue gryefe with her but yf thou take a fayre one she shall make the cuckolde He called olde age the hauen of all tribulations He sayed it was a great euell not be able to suffre euyll To an enuyoê° maÌ„ which was verye sorowfull he sayde I knowe not wel whether euel haue chaunced to the or good to an other signifying therby that enuyous meÌ„ are as sorowful for others prosperitie as for theyr owne aduersitie As he sayled among theues by chauÌ„ce they met with shippes of true folke which the theues espyinge sayde we maye chauÌ„ce to dye yf we be knowen and so may I ê™ he yf we be not knowen These suche lyke answers he gaue dyed at Athens when he was 80. yere olde beyng ouercome w t to muche wyne And was reputed more among the Atheniences than any other of the Philosophers His piththy prouerbes shal be spoken of here after ¶ Of Aristotle Cap. xxiiii ARistotle the sonne of Nychomache a stagerite was welbeloued of Amintha King of Macedonie bothe for his learning also for his wysedome He was Platos disciple and passed far all the rest of his felowes he had a small voice small legges small ryes he wolde go rychely appareled with rynges and chaynes mynionly rounded and shauen He had a sonne called Nichomache by an whore He was so well learned y t Phylip Kynge of Macedonie sent for hym to teache his sonne AlexaÌ„dre who because he reproued hym to muche caused hym to dye But Appollodorus sayeth that he came to Athens agayne and kept the scholes there dyed whan he was lxiii yere olde He was an excellent good Phisition and wrote therof many goodly workes He vsed to washe hym selfe in a basen of hote oyle and vsed to cary a bladder full of whote oyle at his stomacke He vsed also whan he slept to hold a ball of brasse in his hande with a pan vnder his bed syde that whan it fell it myght walte hym Beynge asked what vauntage a man might get by lying he answered to be vnbeleued whan he telleth truth Many tymes whan he enueyed agaynst y e Atheniences he wolde saye y t they had founde out bothe frutes and lawes but knew howe to vse neyther of them He wolde saye that y e rotes of lyberall sciences were bytter but the frutes verye swete It was tolde hym that one rayled on hym to whiche he answered whan I am awaye let hym beat me to Beyng asked howe muche the learned differed from the ignorant he answered As muche the quicke dyffer from the dead He wolde saye y t learning in prosperitie was a garnishing in aduersitie a refuge To one that boasted that he was a Citizen of a noble citie he sayde bost not of that but se that thou be worthy to be of suche a noble citie Beyng asked what was frendship he sayd one soule dwelling in many bodies Beyng asked what he had got by Philosophy he sayd I can do that vnbydden whiche some can scarce do compelled by the lawe Beyng rayled on to hys face not regardyng and the rayler askyng hym whyther he had touched hym or no he sayde Good lorde I mynded y e not yet Being reproued because he gaue wages to one that was scarce honest he sayde I geue it to the maÌ„ and not to hys maners Thus and suche lyke he spake and wrote many goodly bokes of which we haue thought not the one halfe yet so muche as in our age is thought sufficient for one man to haue knowen and written out of whiche his most pith thy prouerbes for our pourpose shal be be added in place most conuenient ¶ Of diogenes Cap. xxv DIogenes as sayeth Diocles was borne in a towne called Cinope his father beyng called Icecius Mensar who beyng imprisoned for counterfetyng theyr coyne Dyogenes whiche was of counsell with hym fled and came to Athens where he met with Antithenes whome vnwyllyng to receyue him for why he neuer wold teache any he ouercame with hys perseueraunce And when his master on a tyme toke vp a staffe to beate hym he put vnder his heade saying stryke for thy staffe is not able to dryue me away so long as thou canst teache me ought He lyued simply as one that was out of hys countrye and comforted hym selfe muche with beholdyng the lytle mouse whiche neyther desyred chaumbre nor feared the darke nor was desyrous more of one meate than of an other whose nature as nygh as he coulde
he folowed He ware a double cloke and made him a bagge wherin he wrapped hym whan he slept and put therin hys meat and vsed one place for all purposes bothe to eat to slepe and to talke in Whan he was diseased he wente with a staffe whiche afterward he caryed with him alwayes not onely in the citie but also in all other places He wrote to one to make hym a cell whiche because he taried longe for he toke a barrell or a tunne and made that his house Whan he had any graue matter he wolde call the people to heare him whiche whan they regarded not he wolde sing pleasantly to which whan many resorted he wolde say to heare folyshnes ye runne a pace but to heare any wayghty matter ye scarce put forth your fote He wōdered at Grāmarians whiche could shewe of other folkes lewdnes and neclected theyr owne He reproued Musitians because they toke great care that theyr instrumentes shulde agre theyr owne maners agreed not He rebuked the Mathematikes whiche behelde the sonne y e moone and the starres and neclected the busines that laye before theyr fete He taunted the orators because they studyed to speake that was iust folowed not the same in theyr lyuyng He dispraysed the people whiche whyle they sacrificed and gaue thankes for theyr healthe wolde make great bankets which was agaynst theyr health he wondred that seruauntes coulde stand and se men eat and snatched not awaye theyr meate Beyng mocked because he annoynted his fete with odours and not his head he sayde the sauour goth from the head vp into the ayer but from the fete vp to the nose Being asked what tyme a man shulde dyne he sayde a riche man whan he wyll and a pore man whan he maye when one had geuen him a blowe vpon y e eare he sayde I wyst well I had left somwhat vncouered To yonge laddes y t stode about hym saying we wyll beware folish question he gaue none answer beyng asked why he helde hys peace he sayde Silence is the answer of folish questions Innumerable suche pretie answers taūtes he vsed which who so listeth to here shall fynde in the Apothegmes of Erasmus whiche is no lesse fynely handled in the English than in the latine beside y t it is also more plaine parfect This Diogenes liued 90. yeres died beyng byt of a dogge some wryte other saye that he styfled hym selfe with long holding of his breathe After whose death there was great stryfe amonge his scholers who shulde haue his body to bury neuertheles the stryfe was appeased by the elders and they buryed hym by the gate that leadeth to Isthmus and made hym a fayre tumbe and set a piller with a dogge therupon and set thereto a goodly Epitaphie His good preceptes and prouerbes shall followe in they re places ¶ Of Antisthenes Cap. xxvi ANtisthenes the sonne of Antisthenes was borne at Athens And was disciple to Gorgias the oratour of whome he learned to pleade and from hym he went to Socrates of whome he learned wysdome and morall Philosophie To a yong man that wolde be hys scholer which asked what he neded to hys learnyng he answered a newe boke and a newe wyt Whan it was tolde hym that Plato spake euyll of hym he sayde It is kyngly to be euell spoken of whan a man doth well He wolde say that it were better for a man in hys necessitie to fall amonge rauens than amonge flattereres for rauens wyll eat none but dead folke but flatterers wyll eat men being aliue He wolde saye y t Cities must nedes decaye where good mē were not knowen from the bad Beyng praysed of euell men he sayde I feare me that I haue done some euell He wold saye that it was a great ouersight sithens they purged theyr wheate from darnell and theyr warres of cowardly soldiers that they purged not theyr common weale from enuyous people Beyng asked of a man what was best to learne he sayde to vnlearne the euell that thou hast learned He alwayes toke Plato for proude disdaynous and hygh mynded in somuche that whan he met hym at a tryumphe wheras there were many goodly and coragious neyghyng horses he sayde o Plato thou woldest haue made a goodly horse He wrote many goodly bokes spake many proper and piththy sentences whiche shal be spoken of hereafter He died of a disease whā he was very olde If is sayde that whan he was sicke Diogenes came to visit hym hauyng a blade by his syde whan he sayde who shall rid me frō my disease Diogenes shewing him his sweard sayde this same shal to whiche Antisthenes sayde I spake of my grefe not of my lyfe There were mo of this name but he lyeth buryed at Athens ¶ Of Isocrates Cap. xxvii ISocrates was a Grecian borne cam of a good kinred was in his youth wel brought vp in all kindes of good maners and whan he came to age discretiō he was an hearer of Gorgias the oratour whose disciple he continued vntyll suche time as he was well learned bothe in naturall also in morall Philosophy As some saye he was in y e time of Ahasuerus y e kyng and was of suche fame for his learning namely for morall Philosophy that he semed to many rather a god than a man He liued vertuouslye wyth suche faythfulnes in frendship and continence of his bodye and with suche piththines in his coūsayle as verye fewe hath ben like him since He wrot many goodly bokes in his youthe whiche he folowed in hys age of whiche his good coūsayles to Demonicū testyfye his wit his learning in morall Philosophy besyde other which he wrote of naturall Philosophy He liued long time for as Ualerius Maximus saieth whā he was .xciiii. yeres olde he set forth ā excellent boke ful of y e spirit In all his workes he praysed vertue as hed foūtaine of all maner riches exhorted al mē thervnto To one that axed him yf he wolde be a king he answered that he woulde not And beyng asked wherfore he sayde If I iudge rightfully I can not eschue y e hatred of many mē agayne yf I iudge wrongfully I cā not eschue y e payne of eternall dānaciō wherfore I had rather liue porely assured of y e blisse of heauen thā in doubt therof possessing all worldly riches Being asked how a man might kept him selfe from anger he answered In remembring y t god loketh alwayes vpon him In hys tyme men delyted muche in blacke heare wherfore one of hys neyghbours died his head blacke whan one asked him why his neybour did so he featly tauntyng his neyghbours folyshnes answered because no man shulde axe counsayle nor learne any wysedome of hym What woulde he say nowe trowe we yf he sawe these wyues y t not onely coloure their heare but also paynt theyr faces He vsed oftentymes ī his prayers to desyre god to kepe saue him from the
thyng ought men more to embrace Agayne yf we consyder the diuinitie of our soules whiche god hath created to hys owne lykenes and y e rewardes therto due for the maners whiche it hath vsed in this lyfe what wordly thing shall be able to be compared therwith Agayne yf we consyder howe nedefull it is as the onely helpe that god hath geuen vs to supply that whiche nature hath left vnperfect than shall we knowe what a Iuell it is For where as Nature bringeth forth all other creatures able to helpe them selues clothing them and geuing them fode without takyng any payne or labour therfore onely maÌ„ is borne naked destitute of power to helpe hym selfe ye as sayth Plinie not one borne to his owne vse neyther is any man able to lyue hym selfe alone For yf he had al the wul in the worlde yet yf it were not carded spunne dressed brought into clothe it woulde not defend him from the colde Agayne yf he had al the grayne that spryngeth on the yearth yet yf it wer vngrounde and vnbaked it wolde be vnmete meare whiche sith they be diuers mennes offices one man alone can not doe And sith therfore it is so that no man can lyue alone but must of necessitie bothe helpe and be holpen of other what can be better than good maners that make euery man glad wyllyng to do one for an other that ioyneth vs togyther in loue and frendshyp and helpeth vs in all kynde of necessities Surelye nothyng Wherfore who so willeth to be riche lette him learne maners whiche teache how to get to retayne frendes which are the verye riches Whoso desireth honor let hym study vertuous maners whiche is the only thyng in man worthy to be honored Fynally what soeuer any man woulde attayne let hym learne mortall wisedome without whiche no thing that is good maye be obteyned Whiche that it myght the more esylyer be learned accordyng to our promise in the fyrst booke we purpose in thys folowyng to set forth y e preceptes and counsayles of those Phylosophers whose lyues we shewed in our former booke Iustantly desyryng all men not onely to reade but also to folowe the same And althoughe saynt Paule haue byd you beware that no man deceyue you with Philosophye he ment not morall as many learned clarkes wrytyng vpon the same playnly do testyfye Which councell all meÌ„ to folowe it namely so muche as agreeth with y e commaundementes of god Repugnant to the which ye shall fynde litle in thys boke and because ye maye the better vnderstand what the Philosophers haue thought of god here shal be set to gyther suche sentences as they haue spoken of hym and of his power after of the soule so forth accordyng to our promyse in y e fyrst boke from the readyng wherof sâ—th the commodities are innumerable I wyll kepe you no lenger ¶ Of God of his power and of his workes Cap. ii Hermes THat is God whiche lacketh begynnyng and ending whiche God being made of none hathe by his owne power created all thynges God knoweth seeth bothe the deades and also the thoughtes of al menne from whose knowledge nothyng may be hyd Socrat. God estemeth greatly vertuous people though in this worlde they be lytle set by God the authour of goodnes hath created all good thynges Plato God is carefull for all as well smal as great The moste gloryous and mighty beginner is god whiche in the begynnyng created the worlde God is the principal and chefe good aboue all Nature whome all creatures honour and looke for Aristot. It shulde seeme that god careth not for wycked people No man may escape the iust iudgement of god Hermeâ— God wyl rewarde euery man according to hys woorkes Socrat. No man can be iust without the feare of god The remembraunce of god kepeth men from euell â—ermes If thou wylt know god enforce thy selfe not to knowe wycked people Reioyce and thanke god as well in aduersitie as in prosperitie Pytha â–ª It is a ryght honorable and blessed thing to serue god sanctifye his sayntes The worshippe of god consisteth not in wordes but in deades Worship god with a cleane heart praye vnto hym and he wyll aduaunce you Hermes Whan ye wyl faste purge youre soules from fylth and abstayne from synne For God is better pleased therwith than with abstayning from meates He that is not contented with the small gyftes that god geueth hym is vnworthy to haue any better Though god exalt the in thys worlde be not proude nor dispyse any man therfore nor thynke not thy selfe better than an other but remembre howe that god by creation hath made all men lyke Plato God hath not in thys worlde a more conuenable mete place than in a cleane and pure soule It is better to be a pore man beleuyng in god than to be riche putting doubtes in hym God loueth them that be disobedient to theyr bodely lustes Hermeâ— â–ª Prayer is the chefest thyng that man may present god with all Socraâ—â—â— Yf thou woldest obtayne any thyng of god frame thy workes accordyng to hys wyll Sweare not by god for any lucre although thy cause be lust Xenophâ—â— Praye to god at the begynnyng of thy workes that thou mayst bryng them to a good conclusion Be not to carefull for worldly ryches for GOD hath prouyded for eche man sufficient Pythâ—â— â–ª Enforce thyselfe to knowe god to feare hym Desyre nothyng of god saue what is profitable for be wyll graunt nothyng vniustly asked God hateth the prayers and sacrifices of wycked people Socraâ—â— â–ª A good man is the similitude of God It is the dutye of a wyseman to be carefull in suche thinges as pertayne vnto god Put youre trust in god and he will aduaunce you For as muche as all men although they be great sinners receyue dayly great benefittes of god Therefore are we all bounde to thanke hym for his grace and to aske hym forgeuenes for our sinnes and trespasses â—ocrat The feare of God is the begynnynge of wysedome By the feare of god we attayne healpe of the holye goste whiche shall open to vs the gates of saluation wherinto our soules shall entre with them that haue deserued euerlastyng lyfe â—â—rmes He that feareth god as he oughte shall neuer fall into the paththes that leade meÌ„ vnto yuell â—â—thag The tyme and rychesse are best bestowed that are employed aboute the seruyâ—e of god It is wysedome to loue god for he that loueth god doeth that whiche god loueth which who so doeth shall be sure to be beloued of god â—ristot Science is had by diligence but discrecion and wysedome commeth from god Commyt all thy causes to god withoute any exception Plato He is wyse that disposeth hys tongue to speake of god and he that knoweth hym not is maste foole of all â—ocrat Speke euer of god and he wyll alwayes put good wordes in thy mouthe He that loueth god best dreadeth hym moste
that woulde haue enuye to se hym prosper Desyre to be cleanlye and not gorgyous in thyne apparell Yf thou do good to the euyl it shall happen to the as it doth to theÌ„ that fede other mennes dogges whiche barcke as well at theyr feeder as at an other straunger â—â—thag Do not suche thynges thy selfe as thou wouldest disprayse in an other Enforce thy selfe to refrayne thy euyll lustes and followe the good for the good mortifyeth and destroyeth the euyll â—ocra Speake euer of god and god wyll alwayes put good wordes in thy mouthe Set thyne owne woorkes alwayes before thyne eyes but cast other mennes behynde thy backe Fyxe not thy mynde vpon worldly plesure nor truste to the worlde for it deceyueth all that put theyr trust therin Be content with lytle and couet not an other mannes gooddes Be saber in thy lyuyng and replenysh thyne harte with wysedome Dreade God and kepe thy selfe from vayne glorye Mocke not an other man for his miserye but take hede by hym howe to auoyde the lyke misfortune Let no man perswade the by flattery to do any euyll nor to beleue otherwyse of thy selfe than thou arte in dede â—rmes Receyue paciently the woordes of correction though they seme greuous Feare the vengeaunce of God al that thou mayest and consyder the greatnes of his puyssaunce and myght By ware of spyes and talebearers Socrat. Tell nothyng to hym that wyl not beleue the nor demaunde any thyng whiche thou knowest before wyl not be graunted Feare God aboue all thynges for that is ryghtfull and profytable and so ordre thy selfe that thy thoughtes and wordes be alwayes of hym for the speakyng and thynkyng of god surmounteth so much al other wordes and thoughtes as god hym selfe surmounteth al other creatures and therfore men ought to obeye hym thoughe they should be coÌ„strayned to the contrary Make thy prayers perfect in the syght of god for prayer is lyke a shyp in the sea whiche yf it be good saueth all therin but yf it be naught suffereth them to perysh Plutarâ— Praye not to god to geue the sufficient for that he wyll geue to eche man vnaâ—ed but praye that thou mayest be content and satisfyed with that whiche he geueth the. Beleue hym not which telleth the a lye by an other bodye for he wyl in lyke maner make a lye of the to an other man Yf thou desyre to be beloued of euerye bodye salute eche man gladly be lyberall in gyuyng and thankfull in receyuyng Forget thyne anger lyghtlye and desyre not to be reuenged Yf thou desyre to coâ—tinue long with an other man payne the to instructe hym wel in good maners ¶ The conclusion THese are part of the preceptes and counsayles of the heathen men which taken and vsed as they shulde be are not vnmete for Christen men to followe Of whiche I coulde haue made a greater boke but for so muche as these fewe contayne the effect of all because also y t men wyl be sone weary of tediouse matters be they neuer so good it semed good for fear of bryuyng men from it before they sawe it to be as brefe as mought be wysshyng that these few myght be wel accepted To the whiche I haue set no summaryes because I woulde that they shoulde be read thoroughlye And although they be so easye playne and common that euery chyld can saye the same yet beyng so lytle followed of men whiche shoulde knowe them best I thought it no shame at all to wryte them which mynde not in this booke to teache men to speake but to do y e thynges whiche they can speake alreadye Wherein peraduenture some wylle muse why I haue attributed so many sentences to Socrates whiche they perhaps knowe to haue be wrytten of other men in which doyng I folowed the prouerbe Doubtefull thynges ought to be interpreted to the best And therfore suche thinges as I haue founde wrytten without certaynty of any certayne authour I haue ascrybed vnto hym not onelye because they be thynges meete for hym to speake but because they be wrytten by some of his scholers which learned them of hym Among whome the most excellent setteth forth suche thinges in hys maysters name that the authoritie of the speaker myght cause the matter to be more regarded I meane Plato whose example in this poynt I haue folowed yet not so desyrous to perswade wyth the authoritie of the speaker as wyth goodnes of the thynge whyche he hath spoken The whiche wyth al the rest I would wyssh al men to learne and followe ⸪ ¶ The ende of the seconde boke ¶ The vse of prouerbes and adages Cap. â— LYke as a louer delyted in the goodly bewtie of his loue can neuer be satisfyed in beholdyng her neyther can take any rest vntil he haue by praysyng enflamed other to delyte in the same labouryng to the vttermost to set forth hys beloued Euen so the â—hylosophers rauyshed in the loue of wysdome haue not onely labored to knowe it to the vttermost but haue also deuysed by al maner meanes to prouoke and entice all men to delyte in the same and because they consydered mennes myndes to be variable diuersly delytyng they deuysed to set out wysedome in sondry kyndes of wrytyng that euery man myght fynde wherin to delyte and so to be caught in his owne pleasure Among whiche kyndes of teaching although preceptes and counsayles be the most playne and easye yet lacke they the grace of delyte whiche in theyr Prouerbes they haue supplyed and that so fynely and so wyttely that they bothe delyte and perswade excedynglye myxed with suche piththynes in wordes sentence as maye minister occasion to muse studye a cause to fire them the better in memory and like a playster bothe corrosyue incarnatiue tanting vices and shewing the remedyes beyng therwithall so brefe that wythout trouble they maye be contayned As for an example this lyttle prouerbe Wrathe leadeth shame in a lease What myght there be sayde to cause a maÌ„ more to refayne his wrath For euery man naturally hateth shame whiche sith it is the folower and ende of anger and therto ioyned inseperablye euen as the shadowe foloweth the body what man considering the ende wyl vse hym selfe therto And to make hym ashamed loe here an other He that to his wrath and anger is thrall Ouer his wyt hath no power at all Nowe what maye make a man more ashamed of hym selfe than to be thought a very foole I suppose nothyng Wherfore syth this kynde is so wytty and so pleasant I haue endeuored in this boke to gather togyther part of theyr prouerbes and haue sundred them into chapters that they myght the easylier be had and founde out for al maner pourposes And suche thinges as I thought most proper I haue drawen into meter and ioyned with them diuers other by other men done alreadye to the intent that suche as delyte in Englyshe meter and can retayne it in memory better than prose might find
as fyre is an instrument without whiche fewe workes can be fynyshed so with out Charitie nothyng maye be done well and honestly Lyke as cleare glasse can hyde nothing so there be many that can kepe secret nor dissemble nothyng As some poysons are so contrarye by Nature that the one cureth the other so is it lykewyse of deceytes and vices After wynter the sprynge tyme followeth but after age youthe neuer coÌ„meth agayne As it is a great foolyshnes to leaue the cleare fountaynes and to fetche water in puddles so is it lykewyse to leaue the Euangelyes and to studye the dreames of mennes ymagination Lyke as an Adamant draweth by lytle and lytle the heauy yron vntyll at the last it be ioyned with it so vertue and wyse-ioyne men vnto them As he whiche in a game place runneth swyftest and continueth styll his pace obtayneth the crowne for his labour so all that diligently learne and earnestlye followe wisedome vertue shal be crowned with euerlastyng glorye ¶ Faultes escaped ¶ In the .xv. syde of the Signature A. the .iii. line reade In the fowerth boke ¶ In the .vii. syde of the Signature B. the v lyne reade Excused hym properly ¶ In the fyrste syde of Q. the last lyne reade That thyng in a realme c Finis A table declaryng the contentes of the whole booke ¶ The fyrste booke THe fyrste beginnyng of Philosophye Cap. i. The partes of naturall Philosophye Cap. ii Of the begynnyng of morall Philosophie Cap. iii. The kyndes of teachyng Morall Philosophye Cap. iiii The order of the boke Cap. v The lyfe of Hermes otherwyse called Mercurius Trismegistus Cap. vi Of Pythagoras Cap. vii Of Thales Milesius Cap. viii Of Solon and whiche were the .vii. that are called sages Cap. ix Of Chylon Cap. x The lyfe of Byas Cap. xi Of Periander Cap. xii Of Anachacis Cap. xiii The lyfe of Myson Cap. xiiii Of Epimenides Cap. xv Of Anaxagoras Cap. xvi The lyfe of Phericides Cap. xvii The lyfe answers and Deathe of Socrates Cap. xviii Of Xenophon Cap. xix Of Aristippus Cap. xx The lyfe of Plato Cap. xxi Of Xenocrates Cap. xxii Of Archelaus Cap. xxiii The lyfe of Aristotle Cap. xxiiii Of Diogenes Cap. xxv Of Antâ—sthenes Cap. xxvi Of Isocrates Cap. xxvii Of Plutarche â—ap xxviii The lyfe and death of Seneca Cap. xxix Finis The seconde booke THe profyt and vse of moral philosophye Cap. i Of God of his workes and of his power Cap. ii Of the soule and gouernaunce therof Cap. iii. Of the worlde the lustes and pleasures therof Cap. iiii Of Deathe not to be feared Cap. v. Of frendshyp and frendes Cap. vi Of counsayle and counsaylours Cap. vii Of rychesse and pouertie Cap. viii Of Silence speache and communication howe to be vsed Cap. ix Of Kynges rulers and gouernours how they shulde rule bothe them selues and theyr subiectes Cap. x In the .xi. Chapter are conteyned the preceptes and counsayles of good maners for all pourposes written of the Philosophers Finis ¶ The contentes of the thyrde booke THe vse profit of prouerbes and adages Cap. i. Of Wysedome learnynge and vnderstanding Cap. ii Of Iustice lawes Cities gouernaunce Cap. iii Of power honour vertue and strengthe howe to be vsed Cap. iiii Of Liberalitie pacience vse custome diligence Cap. v. Of knowledge ignoraunce and erroure and of folyshnes Cap. vi Of moneye and couetousnes Cap. vii Of the tounge of fayre speche of flatterye Cap. viii Of truthe of Faythe of erroure and of lyinge Cap. ix Of bryngyng vp and maners of disposicions and good instruction Cap. x. Of Loue lust and lechery Cap. xi Of Sorrowe gladnes feare and boldenesse Cap. xii Of anger wrathe enuye malice and reuengeaunce Cap. xiii Of libertie and bondage Cap. xiiii Of women wyne and dronkenes Cap. xv The reste of the Chapiters of this booke contayne many goodly sentences of dyuers good and profitable matters ¶ Proper Meaters Finis In the last booke are conteyned Parables verye proper to be vseâ— â–ª written by these folowyng Hermes Plato Plutarche Socrates Aristotle Seneca Finis ¶ Imprinted ⧠at London in Flete strete at the signe of the Sunne ouer agaynste the Conduyte by Edwarde Whitchurche the .xx. daye of Ianuarie in the yeare of oure Lorde 1547. Cum priuilegio ad imprimendum solum per Septennium â§
A treatise of Morall Phylosophie contaynyng the sayinges of the wyse Gathered and Englyshed by Wylm̄ Baldwyn To the right honorable the Lorde Edwarde Beauchampe Earle of Hartforde W. Baldwyn wyssheth encrease of vertue honor and learnyng WHan I had finished this tretise right honorable lorde I thought it mete accordīg to the good accustomed vsage of wryters to dedicate it vnto some woorthye person whose thankful receyuyng and allowyng thereof myghte cause it to be the better accepted of other And forso muche as it was not of value to be geuen to any auncient Counsayler whiche are all therein sufficientlye seen already I iudged it most conuenient to be geuen to somme that were yonger Emong whome for so muche as your learnyng vertuouse towardnes was greatlye commended of dyuers and sundry credible persons I doubted not but that your good disposicion naturally taken of your vertuous parentes woulde take in worthe the gyft of this simple treatyse which although it answer not fully vnto youre estate yet disagreeth it not muche with your age whiche with your good report and vertuous disposicion hath emboldened me to dedicate it vnto you rather than to any other humbly besechyng you to pardon myne audacitie herein and to take in good parte the simplenes of my gyfte In whiche so doyng ye shall not onely ensue the steppes of your honorable father whome God for his excellent and manyfolde vertues ioyned with very gentylnes hath called to the high office protector of this realme vnder ouer soueraygne Lorde the kynges Royall maiestie but shall also cause other the more gladly to desyre it to the greate encoragyng of me and other lyke whiche for the commoditie of our countreye woulde gladly helpe forwarde all honest and vertuous studyes Among whome although I am the least bothe in age learnyng wit yet is my good wyll not muche behynde the formoste And because that your lordshyp maye the better knowe how to vse this treatise and all other of morall Phylosophie I haue in my prologe to the Reader shewed the ryght vse thereof wysshyng that all whiche shall reade the Booke shulde fyrst note the Prologe that Phylosophye maye haue her lawfull prayse the holy scriptures theyr due seruice reuerence and God hys honor worshyp and glorye Who kepe your lordship with your honorable Parentes in healthe and felicitie Amen ⧠¶ The Prologue to the Reader WHan Pericles had gathered an armye makyng expedition towardes the battayle of Peloponesus whan his nauy was ready rygged and at the poynte to launche forthe sodaynly there chaunced so great a darknes through an Eclips of the Sunne that the daye was as dark as yf it had bene nyght in so muche that the starres appered at whiche so sodayne and prodigious a wonder the Pylote beyng amased and affrayed as were also diuers of the souldyers refused to sayle any farther Whiche whan Pericles perceyued whether it were in contempte of Astronomye or to encorage his astonished souldyers be toke his cloke and blynded there with the Maryners eyes and at the last vncouering them agayne he asked hym yf he thought it any wonder because his eyes had be couered a whyle and yet were neuer the worse therfore And whan the Pylote answered that it was not No more is it sayde Pericles althoughe the Moone shadowyng the Sūne take away his lyght for a season And so contemning a good admonicion sent as than by god he sayled forwarde to the destruction of hys souldyers besydes the great detriment of all the whole lande of Brecia In lyke maner there be manye nowe a dayes which as Pericles despysed Astronomye despyse all other sciences deuysyng proper toyes as he dyd to dasshe them out of countenaunce tunnyng headlyng through Ignoraunce into contempt of all good learnyng Not only inuentyng tryfelyng toyed but also wrestyng the holy scriptures whiche they vnderstand not to serue for their pyuish purpose For yf it chaunce them to be improued with any of the good sayinges of the auncient philosophers which so playnly impugneth theyr vices that they be vnable by good reason to refell it tha◠on goeth the brasen face and a cloke must be sought oute of Scrypture eyther to do deface all Phylosophye or els to blynde mennes eyes withall But yf they vnderstoode the Scriptures or yf arrogancie woulde let them learne to vnderstande them as they be trulye meaned than shoulde they confessyng theyr lewde and wylful blyndnes be ashamed of their many vices cease to disprayse that that is greatly to be commended For although Good Reader that Philosophye is not to be compared with the moste holy scriptures yet is it not vtterlye to be despised whiche yf men wyl credyt the holy doctours maye be proued by the iudgement of S. Augustine which in his booke De doctrina Christiana cap. xl exhorteth vs to the reading therof saying Yf they whiche be called Phylosophers specially of Plato his secte haue spoken ought that is true and appertinent to our faythe we ought not onely not to feare it but also to chalenge it as 〈◊〉 owne from them whiche are no ryght owners therof For lyke as the Egyptians had not onely Idoles and great burdens which the Israelites did hate and flye but also vessels ornamentes and goodly Iewels of golde and syluer whiche the Israelytes departyng from Egypt vnder the colour of borowyng stole priuilye from them not of theyr owne mynde but by the commaundement of God to turne that to a better vse whiche the Egyptians abused So in the doctrine of the Bentyles are not only contayned supersticious and fayned rites with great burdens of vayne labour all whiche we Christians followyng Christe out from among the vnbeleuyng gentiles shulde vtterly detest and auoyde but also much good learnyng mete for to serue the truthe wyth some moste profytable preceptes of good maners wherein are folide some truthe howe to worshyp the eternal and onely God c. These be the woordes iudgement and councell of that moste holye Doctour concernyng Philosophie the whiche yf many had wel remembred whiche vnder the tytle of philosophicall science haue with Sophistrie corrupted the true sense of holy scripture neyther shoulde ther haue ben suche contencion as nowe raygneth euery where neyther faultles philosophye haue bene so muche despysed Yet thynke not Louyng Reader that I allowe philosophie to be Scriptures Interpretour but rather woulde haue it as an handmayden to perswade suche thynges as Scripture doeth cōmaunde In whiche kynde whan it is vsed than maye al the prayses be veryfyed therupou with whiche the auncyent phylosophers haue magnifyed it Emonge whome Demosthenes the moste famouse Oratoure among the Greciens calleth it namely the moral parte An inuencion and gyfte of God After whome Licero the mooste excellent aud eloquent Oratour emong the Romaynes calleth it the gyde of lyfe and the expulser of vice These and many moe lyke cōmendacions haue ben therto attributed whiche auaunce it excedyngly neyther disagreyng with the holy Scriptures
whysperers and tale bearers oute of thy companye Take in good worthe what so euer chaunceth â—â—obuâ— Be not hygh mynded Iudge iustlye Be careful for thy householde Reade ouer good bokes Do good to good people Refrayne from foule language Bryng vp in learnyng thy chyldren that thou louest best Be not suspicious nor gelouse Uanquish thy parentes with sufferaunce Remembre them whiche haue done the good forget not theyr benefittes Despyse nor thyne vnderlynges Desyre not other mennes gooddes Run not headlyng in to doubtful matters Kepe thy frendes gooddes as safe as thou wouldest thyne owne Do not that to an other whiche thou thy selfe hatest Thretten no bodye for it is womanlyke Be redyer to goe to thy frende in tyme of his miserie than in his prosperitie Chilon Knowe thy selfe Beare no man malice Use temperaunce Flye fylthy thinges Get thy goodes iustly Lose no tyme. Use wysedome Please the most Be well manered Suspecte nothyng Hate sclaunder Be not importunate Let not thy tongue runne before thy wyt â–ª Proue not that whiche thou mayest not atchyue Loue as yf thou wouldest hate and hate as yf thou wouldest loue shortly after Perâ—aÌ„dâ— â–ª Please euery bodye Hate vyolence Be alwayes one to thy frende as well in aduersitie as in prosperitie Perfourme whatsoeuer thou promisest Kepe close thy misfortune least thyne enemye reioyce at it Stycke to the truthe Abstayne from vice Do that whiche is ryghtfull and iust Geue place to thy betters and to thyne elders Abstayne from swearyng Folowe vertue Moderate thy lustes and affections Prayse honest thynges Hate debate Be mercyfull to the penitent Instructe thy chyldren Requyte benefits Enhaunt wysemens company Esteme greatly good men Flye rebuke Heare that whiche to the belongeth Be enuyous to no man Answere aptlye Do nothyng that maye repent the. Honor them that haue deserued honor Be fayre speched Feare the officers Mayntayne concorde Flatter not When thou doest amysse take better counsayle Trust not to the tyme. Hope well Be seruisable to euery bodye Take good hede to thy selfe Reuerence thyne elders with obedience Fyght and dye for thy countreye Mourne not for euery thyng for that wyl shorten thy lyfe Gette a wytty woman to thy wyfe and she shall bryng the forth wyse chyldren Lyue and hope as yf thou shouldest dye immediatlye Spare as though thou wer immortal Hate pryde and vayne glorye Smell not in welthe Seale vp secretes Tarye alwayes for a conuentent tym Geue liberally for thy profyt Do no man wrong Auoyde gryefe Mocke not the dead Use thy frendes Geue blameles counsayle comforte thy frendes Byas Beholde thy selfe often in a lokyng glasse and yf thou appeare bewtyfull do suche thynges as become thy bewetye but yf thou seme fowle than perfourme w t good maners the bewtye that thy face lacketh Talke none euyll of God but searche diligently to knowe what he is Heare muche but speake lytle Fyrste vnderstande and than speake Prayse not the vnworthye because of his rychesse Get vp perswasion and not by vyolence Get the sobrenes in thy youth and wisdome in thyne age Pittach â–ª Tell not abrode what thou entendest to doe for yf thou spede not thou shalte be mocked Paye thy dettes Reuyle not thy frende Rule thy wyfe Be not slowthefull Yf thy felowes hurte them small thinges suffre it and be as bolde with them Take not thyne enemy for thy frende nor thy frend for thyne enemye Be not iudge betwene thy frendes Stryue not with thy father and mother although thou saye the truthe Reioyce not at any mannes misfortune Let thy mynde rule thy tongue Be obedient to the lawe Heare gladlye Attempt nothyng aboue thy strengthe Be not hasty to speake nor slow to heare Wyshe not the thyng whiche thou mayest not obtayne Aboue and before all thynges worshyppe God Reuerence thyne elders Refrayne thy lust Breake vp hatred â—ermes Be obedient vnto thy kynge and worshyp those that be in auctoritie vnder him Loue God and truthe so shalt thou saue thy soule Enuye not thoughe an euyll man prosper for surely his ende shal not be good Be satisfyed with lytle for it wyll encrease and multiplye Truste not to the tyme for it deceyueth sodaynlye them that trust therto Upbrayde no man wyth his miserie Mary thy matche Take good aduysement ere thou begyn ought but whan thou hast begon dispatch it quyckely â—ythag Before thou go from home deuyse with thy selfe what thou wylt doe abrode and whan thou arte come home agayne remeÌ„bre what thou hast done abroade Socraâ— â–ª Neyther flatter nor chyde thy wyfe before straungers Be not proude in prosperitie neyther dispayre in aduersitie In prosperitie be ware and in aduersitie hope for better fortune Learne by other mens vices howe fylthy thyne owne are Moderate thy lustes thy tongue and thy belly Do not that thy selfe whyche thou dispraysest in an other Couet not to ware ryche through deceyte Aristip â–ª Loke what thanke thou rendrest to thy parentes and loke for the lyke agayne of thy chyldren Rule not excepte thou haue fyrst learned to obeye Yealde vnto reason Flye euyll company Sclaunder not them that he dead Prepare the suche rychesse as whan the shyppe is broken maye swymme skape wyth theyr mayster Plato â–ª Learne suche thynges whyle thou arte a chylde as maye profytte the whan thou arte a man Endeuour thy selfe to do so well that other maye enuye the therfore Spende not to outragyouslye nor be to â—ygardysh so shalte thou neyther be nedy nor in bondage to thy ryches 〈◊〉 Be pacient in tribulation and geue no man cause to speake euyll of the. Looke well to the saulfegarde of thyne owne bodye Socra Knowe thy selfe so shall no flatterer begylde the. Be vertuous and lyberall so shalt thou eyther stop the sclaunderers mouthe orels the eares of them that shal heare hym â—â—oph Meddle not with that with whyche thou hast nought to do Neyther suffre thy handes to worke nor thy tongue to speake nor thyne eares to heare that whiche is euyll â—â—hago Slepe not before thou haue consydered howe thou hast bestowed the daye past Yf thou haue wel done thanke god yf otherwyse repent and aske hym forgeuenes Desyre God at the begynnyng of thy workes that thou mayest by hys helpe bryng them to a good conclusion â—ristot Walke not in the waye of hatred Do not what thou wouldest but what thou shouldest Prayse not a man excepte he be prayse worthye Yf thou wylt correct any man do it rather with gentlenes then with violent extremitie Use measure in all thynges Socraâ—â— Whan thou talkest wyth a straunger be not to full of communication tyll thou knowe whether he be better learned than thou and yf thou be better speake than the boldlyer els be quyet learne of hym Geue thy wyfe no power ouer the for yf thou suffer her to daye to treade vpon thy fote she wyll to morowe treade vpon thy head Fyxe thy wyl to do iustice and sweare not Arâ—stipâ— Haunt not to muche thy frendes
in one But folly lacketh ordre so that concord is none Theophrastus For a man muche better it is among raueners To fall and be taken than among flatterers For rauens but of flesh dead bodyes do depryue â–ª But flatterers deuour men whyle they be alyue â–ª Socrates He that of all men wyll be a correctour Shall of the most part wyn hate for his labour â–ª Dyogenes Of slaundrers flattrers take hede yf ye wylâ— For nether tame nor wylde best can byte vs so yâ— For of wyld beastes slaunder is the worst byter And of the tame most byteth a flatterer Pythagoras They that to talke of wysedome are bent Not folowyng the same are lyke an instrument Whose pleasant sounde the hearers doth delyte But it selfe not hearyng hath therby no profyte Horace As long as a tonne or vessell maye last Of the fyrst lycour it kepeth the taste And youthe beyng seasoned in vertuous labour Wyll euer after therof kepe the sauour Euripedes Englyshed by Ascham What thing a man in render age hath most iÌ„ vre That same to deth always to kepe he shal be sure Therfore in age who greatly loÌ„ges good frute to mow In youth he must hym self apply good seed to sowe Pythagoras Beware of thyne enmy whan he doth manace And trust thou hym not yf fayre seeme his face For serpentes neuer so deadly do stynge As whan they byte without any hyssynge Hermes Tresures which falsehod semeth to augment Are euylly gotten and worser are spent Wherefore to be ryche who so doeth entende Ought trulye to wynne and dulye to spende Plutarche Sith the worlde vnsteady doth oft ebbe flowe It behoueth a wyseman all tymes for to knowe And so for to sayle whyle he hath fayre wether That the hauen maye kepe hym whan hold may no anker Dyogenes Of a chorlysh nature procedeth fowle language But fayre speache is token of a noble courage Anacharcis A frende is not knowen but in necessitie For in tyme of welth eche man semeth frendly Socrates Wysedome science whiche are pure by kynde Shulde not be wryt in bookes but in mynde For wysedome in bookes with the boke wyl rot But writ in mynd wil neuer be forgot Seneca For couetous people to dye it is best For the longer they lyue the lesse is theyr rest For lyfe them leadeth their substance to double Where death theÌ„ dischargeth of endles trouble Antisthenes Men ought not wepe for hym y e giltles is slayne But for the slayer whiche quycke doth remayne For to dye gyltles is losse but of bodye But body and soule bothe are lost of the gyltye Xenocrates Of woorkes begon whan goodnes may bredâ— We shulde with al swyftnes deuyse to procede But yf by our workes maye growe any yll We shulde be as swyft to conquer our wyll Socrates By ordryng the tong is a tryal most true To knowe yf a man hys lustes can subdue For he that ne rule can his tongue as hym lyst Hath muche lesse power other lustes to resist Socrates What euer it chaunce the of any to heare Thyne eye not consenting beleue not thyne eare For the eare is a subiect full oft led awrye But the eye is a iudge that in nothyng wyll lye Seneca Boetâ—us Wysdome honor most commonly be founde In them that in vertue and goodnes abounde And therfore are better than syluer and golde Which the euyl commonly most haue in holde Horace Stop the begynnynges so shalt thou be sure All doubtfull diseases to swage and to cure But yf thou be carelesse and suffre them brast To late cummeth playster when al cure is past Xenophon Yf that it chaunce the in warre for to fyght More than to wyt trust not to thy myght For wyt w tout strength much more doth auayle Than strength w tout wit to conquer in battayle Aristotle Bothe hatred loue and theyr owne profet Cause Iudges oft tymes the truthe to forget Purdge all these vices therfore fro thy mynde So shall ryght rule the thou the truthe fynde Plato Although for a whyle thy vice thou may hyde Yet canst thou not alway kepe it vnespyed For truth the true daughter of god and of tyme Hath sworne to detect al sinne vice and cryme Aristotle The hauyng of rychesse is not so coÌ„modious As the departyng from them is greuous Plato Happy is the realme the whiche hath a king Endued with wysedome vertue and learnyng And muche vnhappy is the Realme prouince Where as these poyntes do lacke in their prince Plutarche To what so euer the kyng doth hym frame His men for the most part delyte in the same Wherfore a good kyng shoulde vertue ensue To geue his subiectes example of vertue Hermes Better it is for a wyfe to be barrayne Than to bryng forth a vile wycked carrayne Socrates Almes distributed vnto the indigent Is lyke a medicine geuen to the impotent But to the vnneady a man to make his dole Is lyke the ministring of playsters to the whole Pythagoras Better it is for a man to be mute Than with the ignoraunt muche to dispute And better it is to lyue solitarily Than to enhaunt muche euyll companye Diogenes Trye and than trust after good assuraunce But trust not ere ye trye for feare of repentauÌ„ce Plato That thyng in realme is worthy renoune Which rayseth vp ryght wrong beteth doune Seneca Goodnes it selfe dothe good men declare For whiche many mo the better do fare Socrates Unhappy he is where so euer he come That hath a wit and wyl not learne wysdome ¶ The thinges that cause a quiet lyfe wrytten by Marciall MY frende the thynges that do attayne The happy lyfe be these I fynde The rychesse left not got with payne The fruytful grounde the quiet mynde The equall frende no grudge no stryfe No charge of rule nor gouernaunce Without disease the healthye lyfe The householde of continuaunce The meane dyet no dayntye fare Wysdome ioyned with simplenes The myght discharged of all care Where wyne the wyt maye not oppresse The faythfull wyfe without debate Suche sleepes as maye begyle the nyght Content thy selfe wyth thyne estate Neyther wysh death nor feare hys might ¶ The last boke Of Prouerbes and Semblables THre bokes concluded accordynge to oure promyse it is requysite that the fowerth followe whiche beyng wel consydered is no lesse profytable ether to good instrustruction or moral wisedome than any of the rest For where as the other only commaunde or shewe the thing simply this kynde by vehemencie of matter contayned in other thynges perswadeth the thyng effectuallye besydes muche good learnyng of naturall Philosophie conteyned in the examples And suerlye the diligence of the Philosophers herein is greatly to be commended whiche hath diuised so goodly a waye to allure all men to wysedome In whiche kynde sithe Erasmus one of the best learned in oure tyme hath alredy studyed and therof compyled a boke drawen as he sayeth hym selfe out from the purest of the Philosophers I