hert whiche he Iustyceth holdeth them in good pees and dooth his wylle For his herte is so ioyned to the wylle of god so that of al that that god doeth he thanketh hym and it playseth hym wel And thys is the seygnorye that vertu gyueth to hym that hath it Of thys speketh seneke sayth as grete honour gyueth god to the whan thou art lord emperour of thy self more thā a kyng ha lord god how many kynges emperours other grete lordes haue ben in the world also barons that haue citees castellis royames that haue not this seygnorye For they be not lordes of theyr hertes By cause that it tormenteth ofte by wrath or by maletalente or by couetyse or by desyre that they may not accomplysshe ¶ Here is spoken of veray fraunchyse capo. lxxj AFter thys I say that there is none that hath veray fraūchyse yf he haue not grace and vertue Thenne yf thou wylte knowe what is veray fraūchyse of a man and of a woman by right Thou oughtest to vnderstonde that a man hath iij maner of fraunchyses One of nature another of grace and the thyrd of glorye The fyrst is free wylle by whiche a man may chese and do frely good or euyl This fraunchyse holdeth euery man of god so frely that no man may do it wronge ne alle the deuylles of helle may not enforce a man ayenste hys wylle to do a synne wythout his accorde and consentemente For yf a man dyd euyl ayenst his wylle· he shold haue therof no synne for as moche as he in no wyse myght eschewe it lyke as sayth saynt austyn This fredom and fraunchyse hath euery man But this fredom is not in chyldren ne in wood men ne in fooles by cause they haue not the vsage of reason by whiche they can chese the good from the euyl A man putteth awaye from hym thys fraunchyse in grete partye whan he synneth dedelye For he selleth hym self vnto the deuyll for the delyte of hys synne And yeldeth hym selfe vnto hym and bycometh his seruaunt by synne so that he may not caste hym self out ne put hym fro his wylle for he hath deserued the deth of helle yf the grace of god helpe hym not The second fraunchyse is suche that the wyse man hath in this world whome god hath fraūchysed by grace by vertues from the seruyce of the deuyl fro synne that they be not bonde to golde ne to syluer ne to temporalle goodes of this world ne to theyr bodyes whyche is caroyn ne to the goodes of fortune whyche the deth may sone take awaye but they haue theyr hertes lyfte vp gyuen to god so that they preyse no thyng the goodes of the world ne the honours ne the vanytees ne kyng ne duc ne meschaunce ne pouerte ne shame ne deth For they been now deed to the world haue the hert so deceueryd taken awaye fro the loue of the world that they desyre the deth lyke as the werkman his payment of his Iourney or dayes labour and the labourer his hyre also lyke as they that ben in the tormēt and in the fortune of the see desyre to come to port salue And lyke as the prysonner desyreth good delyueraunce and as the pylgrym desyreth to come ageyn in to hys contreye And yf they be parfytelye free in thys world lyke as a creature may be thenne fere they ne doubte they no thynge but god and been in greet pees of herte For they haue thenne theyr herte in god and been in heuen by desyre And thys fraunchyse cometh of grace and of vertue But yet al this fraunchyse nys but seruytude to the regarde of the thyrd fraunchyse that they haue that been in glorye They be verayly free For they be verayly delyuerd fro alle perylles and fro alle tormentes fro fere of deth and of deth fro the grynnes empesshemēs of the world fro myserye fro pouerte and fro al payne of herte and of body wythoute retornyng Of the whiche thynge there is none free in thys world how parfyte that he be ¶ Of veray noblesse capo. lxxij WHo that shal haue the second fraunchyse of whyche I haue spoken shal come to grete noblesse The veray noblesse cometh of gentyl hert Certeyn none hert is gentyl but yf he loue god There is no noblesse but to serue and loue god and to kepe hym fro al synnes and from the seruage of the de +uyl Ne there is no vylanye but to angre god by synne Ther is no man by ryght gentyl ne noble of the gentylnesse of hys body For as touchyng the body we ben al sonnes of one moder That is of the erthe and of fylthe of whyche we al haue taken flesshe and blood Of this parte there is none gentyl ne free But our swete fader Ihesu Cryst whiche is kyng of heuen that fourmed the body of the erthe and created the soule to his ymage and semblaūce and al in lyke wyse as it is of the carnal fader that is moche glad and ioyous whan hys sone resembleth hym Ryght so is it of our fader Ihesu Cryst For by the holy scrypture by hys messagers he techeth vs. that we shold payne our self to resemble hym And therfore he sent to vs hys blessyd sone Ihesu Cryst in to therthe for to brynge and gyue to vs the veray exemplayre by whyche we may be reformed to hys ymage and semblaunce lyke as they that dwelle in the hye cytee of heuen That been the angellys and the sayntes of heuen where eueryche is of so moche more hye and more noble As more proprely he bereth thys fayre ymage And therfore the holy men in thys world payne them self to knowe god and to loue hym wyth alle theyr hert and purge them clense and kepe them from alle synnes For of so moche as the herte of a creature is more pure more clene wythout synne of so moche he seeth more clerely more euydently the precious face of Ihesu cryst of soo moche he loueth more ardauntly of so moche he resembleth more proprelye And by that he hath the more gretter glorye And thys is the veray noblesse that god hath gyuen vs ¶ And therfore sayth ryght wel Saynt Iohan the appostle and euangelyst that thenne we shal be the sōnes of god and we shal resemble hym proprely whā we shal see hym euydently lyke as he is This shal be in his glorye whan we shal be in heuen For no man seeth so dyscouerd ne so clerely the beaute of god lyke as sayth saynt poule But thenne we shal see hym face to face proprely and clerely whan we shal be in glorye in his Ioyous companye ¶ The veray noblesse of a man thenne begynneth by grace and by vertues and that is parfyght glorye This noblesse maketh the holy ghoost in the hertes that he purgeth and culumyneth in trouthe and in parfyte charyte These been the grettest
heuen in erth al them that ben in grace men wymmen and angellys and al in lyke wyse as there beu in heuen thre estates of aungellys as saynt denys sayth of whome one is moost hye that other moyen or myddle and the thyrd more lowe The moost hye ben lyke them that ben of the kynges coūceyl They be alwaye wyth god more nerre to hym than the other and see hym and here hym and his secretes The moyen or myddle ben as barons and bayllyes that gouerne loue and kepen al the royam and gone comen lerne of them of the coūceyl that whiche they comande· make it to be done to other the lowest ben lyke as seruauntes offycers whiche haue theyr craftes and done their offyces messages as is sayd to them By this maner ensaumple there ben iij estates of the chyldren of god in erth the whyche the holy ghoost ledeth conduyteth as sayth saynt Poul The one estate is of them hat ben in the world· lyuen after the commandementes of god and of holy chyrche after that they here and byleue of theyr prelates The other estate is of them that ben parfyte that al haue theyr hert out of the world of this mortal lyf haue theyr conuersacyon in heuen and theyr body in erthe and theyr herte wyth god The thyrd ben in the myddle estate whyche gouerne them self wel other and lyuen after the counceyl of the gospel and not onelye after the commandements These thre maner of people techeth the holy ghoost and ledeth gouerneth by these vj yeftes and departeth to them his graces to eueryche after his benygne volente and wylle as sayth thappostle The two fyrst of these vj yeftes apperteyne to them that ben of the fyrst estate The yefte of scyence techeth them the yefte of pyte maketh them to werke The ij myddle apperteyne to them of the moyen estate The yefte of counceyl gouerneth them· the yefte of strengthe accomplyssheth the werkes The ij last apperteyne to them of the moost hye estate The yefte of vnderstondyng enlumyneth them the yefte of sapyence confermeth them Ioyneth them wyth god Another reason there is wherfore there ben vij yeftes for the holy ghoost by his seuen yeftes wedeth plucketh and taketh awaye the vij synnes vyces fro the hertes of the persones planteth there nouryssheth vij vertues contrarye which make perfytely a man to be honoured These ben the goodes that the holy ghoost maketh in the hertes where as he descendeth by these seuen yeftes But tofore that I descende vnto the vertues whiche ben contrarye to the seuen dedely synnes I wyl shortly speke of seuen other vertues of whyche thre ben callyd dyuyne the other four been callyd the foure cardynal vertues ¶ Of seuen vertues of whome there been thre dyuyne foure cardynal capitulo lxxxx THe thre fyrst vertues dyuyne Saynt Poul thappostle calleth them Fayth hope charyte And they be callyd dyuyne by cause they be godly ordeyne the herte to god fayth lyke as saynt Austyn sayth setteth vs vnder god maketh vs to knowe hym knowleche hym a lord of whome we holde al that whyche we haue of good Hope sayth he enhaunceth vs to god and maketh vs stronge and hardy and to entrepryse for the loue of god that whiche passeth the vertu and strengthe of man Charyte sayth saynt Austyn Ioyneth vs to god For charyte is none other thynge but chyere vnyte that is dere onehede for she maketh the hert and god alle one as sayth saynt Poul Fayth byholdeth in god souerayn vnyte hope beholdeth in god souerayn hyenesse and charyte souerayn bounte These iij vertues ben deuyded by iij degrees of loue for for iij thynges a mā is loued One is by cause that one hath herde or hereth grete good of hym Or by cause that he hath receyued grete good of hym Or by cause he entendeth to haue grete good of hym These iij maners of loue ben in these iij vertues Loue of fayth hereth werketh loue of hope feleth the sauour and requyreth it loue of charyte taketh and seeth it and tasteth holdeth it ¶ Of the foure cardynal vertues by whyche a man ought to gouerne hym capitulo lxxxxj OF the four cardynal vertues speken moche the auncyent phylosophres but the holy ghoost gyueth them enseygneth them better an hondred tymes as sayth Salamon in the book of sapyence The fyrst of these iiij vertues is prudence the second attemperaunce the iij strengthe and the fourth Iustyce These iiij vertues ben callyd cardynallys by cause they ben the moost pryncypal emonge the vertues of whyche the auncyent phylosophres speken For by these iiij vertues a man gouerneth hym self in this world Lyke as the pope gouerneth al holy chyrche by hys cardynalles ¶ Prudence kepeth a man that he be not deceyued by none engyne of the enemye Attemperaunce kepeth a man that he be not corrupt by none euyl loue· Strengthe kepeth hym that he be not vaynquysshed ne ouercome by wrath or by drede or by sorowe This is that holdeth a man in good estate toward hym self Iustyce setteth a man in ryght ordre in ryght estate anenst hym self other for Iustyce rendreth to eche man that whiche is his These ben the iiij toures at iiij corners of the hous of the good man that maketh it stronge sure good Prudence garnyssheth it toward the eest by pourueaunce for perylles Attemperaunce garnyssheth it toward the south ayenst the euyl heetys Strengthe garnyssheth it toward the north for the euyll coldes Iustyce garnyssheth it toward the west ayenst the euyl raynes Yet ageyn of the four cardynal vertues as foloweth lxxxxij THese iiij vertues haue dyuers offyces and been moche dyuers in theyr werkys lyke as sayth an aūcyent phylosophre named plato in his book that he made of these foure vertues deuydeth thē moche subtylly sayth that prudence hath iij offyces For by this vertu al that which a man doth sayth thynketh is ordeyned al ledde by lyne rule reason in al his werkys he pourueyeth that he vse them after thordynaunce of god that al seeth Iugeth A grete lord shold he be as me semeth that shold haue this onely vertu by these thre thynges shold gouerne hym ¶ Of the vertu of attemperaunce capitulo lxxxxiij THe vertu of attemperaunce hath iij offyces for the hert that hath this vertu wylle not ne coueyteth not to do a thynge of whyche he ought to repente In no thynges he breketh not the lawe dysmesurably but putteth hym self alwaye vnder the yoke of reason And no thynge doubteth of alle the couetyses of the world That is to say who hath this vertu he kepeth hym that he he not corrupt by the thre thynges that foulen and shamen the world ¶ Of the vertu of strengthe capitulo lxxxxiiij THe vertu of strengthe hath also iij offyces for a man that
may to take awaye and wythdrawe fro it al the vytaylles al metes and the water for to enfamysshe them For after that the castel is enfamyned and all vytaylle is take fro it It may not longe be holden ne kept ayenst his aduersarye Ryght so the castel of the bely which is the fortresse of the flesshe may not holde ayeÌ„st the spyryte whan it is enfamyned by fastynges· by abstynences and by other penaunces ¶ Also the estate of relygyon ought to be wythdrawen fro the world that they that been in suche estate ne fele ne retche noo thynge of worldly thynges For they ought to be dede to the world and lyue wyth god as sayth Saynt Poule For lyke as he that is dede bodyly hath loste all his wyttes bodyly as seeyng· spekyng tastyng heeryng and smellyng Ryght soo owen the relygyouse to be deed as to the world that they fele noo thynge that apperteyneth to synne so that they may veryly say the word that saynt Poul thappostle sayth of hym self The world sayd he is crucyfyed to me and I to the world Thappostle wold say that lyke as the world helde hym for foule for abhomynable lyke as one were hanged Ryzt so had he the world for foule for abhomynable as to hym that is hanged or crucyfyed for his trespace In lyke wyse dooth he that is in sucke estate dooth flee the world and hate it That is to say the couetyse and shrewdnesse of the world that he fele noo thynge by loue ne by desyre so that his conuersacyon be in heuen as saynt Poul sayth of hym self and of them that ben in thestate of perfection Our conuersacyon is in heneu For yf the body is in erthe the hert is in heuen by loue and by desyre ¶ A good relygyouse persone ought to haue no propre in erthe but he ouzt to make his tresour in heuen lyke as sayth our lord in the gospel Yf thou sayth he wylt be perfyght â–ª goo and selle al that thou hast and gyue it to the poure And thou shalte haue thy tresour in heuen whyche neuer shal faylle The tresour of a relygyouse man is veray wylful pouerte For the veray pouerte of the spyryte and of wylle is the money of whyche the royalme of heuen is bought wherof our lord sayth in the gospel Blessyd be the poure of spyryte for the Royalme of heuen is theyres Certayn who that is poure of spyryte that is of the wylle of god he secheth not in thys world noo delyâ—es ne rychesses ne honoures but put it all in forgetyng In suche wyse ought to doo good relygyouse people that wyl mounte vp in to the montaygne of perfectyon wherof the aungellys sayd to Loth whan he was goon oute of the cyte of Sodome· Reste ne tarye thou not nyghe the place that thou hast lefte but saue thy self in the montaygne For he that is goon oute of the conuersacyon of the world ought not to holde hym nyghe the world by hys wylle ne by hys desyre But ought to wythdrawe hym as moche as he may And to entende to his helthe wythoute lookyng bacward or behynde hym· That is for to say that he sette not ageyn hys hert to the world ¶ The wyf of Loth ageynst the commaundement of the aungel behelde the cyte fro whens she came out which brenned therfor she was tâ—rned in to an ymage of salte The wyf of Loth sygnefyeth them· that after they haue lefte the world· and ben entred in to relygyon retorne ageyn bacward by wylle and by desyre which haue theyr body in the cloystre but the hert in the world They be lyke thymage of salte whyche hath but the lykenes or semblaunce of a man· and is as harde colde as a stone Ryght so ben suche peple colde of the loue of god hard wyth out humour of pyte and of deuocyon and they retche nothyng but of the habyte of theyr relygyon no thynge of the obseruaunces and werkes Thymage that was of salte sygnefyeth in scrypture wytte and dyscrescyon For lyke as salte gyueth sauour to the 〈◊〉 Ryght so ought euery relygyouse persone to haue wytte dyscrescioÌ„ in his dedes in his wordes This ymage thenne of salte ought to gyue wytte and vnderstondyng and example to them that ben in religyon and after retorne to that whyche they haue lefte And therfore sayth our lord in the gospel to his dyscyples Remembre you of the wyf of loth That is to say Beholde ye not that whiche ye haue lefte for the loue of me lest ye lese the lyf of grace lyke as the wyf of loth lost the lyf of the body by cause she loked to the place whyche she had lefte wherfore our lord sayth in the gospel who that putteth his hande to the ploughe and loketh behynde hym is not worthy to the kyngdom of heuen For-lyke as he that ledeth the plough seeth alway tofore hym to lede strayt and to conduyte right his plough Ryght soo ought he to doo that putteth his haÌ„de to the plough of penauÌ„ce or of religyon alwaye he ought to haue the eyen of his hert tofore That is to say his vnderstondyng and his wylle to that whyche is to sore hym and not behynde That is to the goodes perdurable whyche ought to be tofore the hert not to the goodes temporall whiche ought to be behynde ¶ Thus dyd Saynt Poul whyche sayd that he had forgoten that whyche was behynde hym That is the world and alle the couetyse of the world whyche he praysed at nought And wente allewaye tofore hym For he had alwaye his entencyon and his desyre to god But many men of relygyon setten the plough tofore the oxen For many there ben and that is their â—ommage that more sechen the thynges bodyly and worldly than the thynges spyrytual They put that before whyche shold be behynde that ben the goodes temporal tofore the goodes perdurable spyrytuell Suche relygyous persones ben in moche grete peryll of theyr dampnacyon For they haue â—ought but the habyte of theyr relygyon By the example of Saynt Poul the good relygyouse persones forgete the world leue it byhynde them the goodes perdurable they haue tofore theyr eyen· and goon tofore alwaye fro vertu to vâ—rtu tyl they come to the montayne of Ioye perdurable where they shal see god clerely and shall loue hym perfyghtly and shal adoure hym perdurably This is the beneurte or the yefte of vnderstondyng whyche ledeth them that kepen cleÌ„nesse of hert and of body lyke as we haue shewed afore And therfore sayth our lord in the gospel that blessyd ben they that ben clene of hert For they shall see god This blessyng begynneth here for they been purged fro derknesses of errour as to the vnderstondyng and fro the spottes of synne as to the wylle and therfore they see god by fayth enlumyned of clerenes whyche cometh of the yeft of vnderstondyng â—y whyche a man knoweth hys creatour· and all
be veray glorye and a lytel apple to be a grete montayne for they wene that the world be a grete thynge But to the regarde of heuen it nys but pouerte They wene that a glasse be a saphyr And they wene that theyr strengthe and theyr power be moche grete whiche is more feble more fraylle than is glasse ¶ Also I say that this chyldehode the wytte of the world is in them that so moche make them wyse for to kepe and ease the body and to be in delyces whyche lyuen as a chylde that seche nothynge ellys but to doo theyr propre wylle In suche people reason is deed therfore they lyuen as beestys for theyr wytte is al torned and corrupt lyke as is the taste and sauour of a seek man or of a woman grete wyth chylde whyche fyndeth more sauour and appetyte in a soure apple than in brede made of whete more sauour in a cool than in good metes Also these peple may not byleue that there is more Ioye and delyte in louyng god to serue and to honoure hym than in doyng the wylle of the caroyne of theyr body For they can not ryghtfully Iuge betwene swete bytter Also I say that the wytte of the world is wodenesse in them that soo moche be subtyl in fyndyng malyce for tengyne deceyue other be it by strengthe or by plee or by barate And that ne thynke ne studye sauf to auaunce and enhaunce them self and to greue other Thys wytte as sayth saynt Iames is the wytte of the deuyl whiche alwaye payneth hym self to do harme to other But the veray wytte that the holy ghoost enseygneth and techeth to the frendes of our lord is in knowyng wythoute mysprysyng what euery thyng is worthe he sheweth that the world is vayn in beyng foule in valour in louyng it and sauouryng it The rychessys ben vyle and transytorye And the delytes been bytter After he gyueth feelyng that the loue of god vertues is a thynge veray precyous and swete veray for she fylleth the hert nouryssheth susteyneth it She is precyous for one may bye god al that he hath She is swete for it is the manna that al thynges maketh swete labour sorowe wepynges shames trybulacyons aduersytees martyrdoms and al paynes And al that one may thynke to loue it maketh it sauour lyke suâ—re This is the wytte and the sapyence wherof the scrypture sayth Thys is the sapyence oute of whyche groweth purete and veray conscyence ¶ Of the prowesse of the knyghtes of Ihesu Cryst capo. lxix AFter I say that vertues and charyte gyuen veray prowesse Thenne there is no prowesse by right but in the knyghtes of god whyche the holy ghoost adoubeth and armeth wyth vertues and charyte In prowesse been thre partyes Hardynesse Strengthe Stedfastnes There is none noble by ryght but yf he haue these thre thynges but yf he be hardy prudent entreprenauÌ„t of grete thynges and stronge puyssant for to pursiewe them and ferme and stable to fynysshe them But wythoute wytte wythout purueaunce nothyng auayllen none of these iij thynges For lyke as sayth the book of the arte of chyualrye Errour wythoute bataylle may not be amended For it is anone compared Folyssh enterpryse is where as lyeth lytel prouffyte moche despence and grete payn and perylle These been thenterpryses of them that been called wyse and hardy in this world that theyr bodyes and theyr soules putten in synne in perylle and in payne for to gete a lytel loos and preysyng whiche is moche vayne and lytel endureth ¶ But vertue maketh a man of grete herte and of wyse enterpryse whan she maketh a man whiche is nothyng but erthe soo hardy that he dare enterpryse to conquere the royalme of heuen and to vaynquysshe alle the deuylles of helle that been so stronge ¶ Thys enterprise is good wyse moche prouffytable For there is therin lytel perylle and lytel payne but there is glorye honour and prouffyte inestymable and perdurable wythout mesure who hath noo vertu hath no grete herte but he is lyke hym that is aferde of nought Suche ben they that doubten the euylles the aduersytees perylles trybulacyons of the world And that haue drede to lese that whyche they may not longe kepe ¶ They haue noo grete hert that gyue hit ouer for nought lyke as doon they that gyue theyr hertes for to loue the goodes of fortune which in trouthe been ryght nought but fylthe charge and ordure to the regarde of the goodes and glorye perdurable ¶ Thenne suche people been lyke a chylde that loueth better an apple or a myrrour than a royame But vertu gyueth grete herte by ryght For vertue maketh them to conquere heuen despyse the world and to bere grete dedes of penaunce And to supporte and gladly suffre al the euylles of the world and to endure them for goddes sake And also for to wythstonde and resyste alle the assaultes of the deuyl Lyke as the wyse and prudente Seneke saith wepynges myschauÌ„ces sorows trybulacoÌ„ns harmes shames perylles and al that whyche euyl fortune may menace doo haue nomore power ayenst vertu than one drope of water shold do in the see vertu maketh a man hardy as a lyon stronge as an holyfaunte ferme and durable as the soÌ„ne whyche alwaye renneth and is neuer wery Thenne there is no prowesse ne strengthe but in vertues ¶ Of veray seygnorye which gyueth grace vertues lxx THus is there none veray seygnorye but in vertues A grete lord is he that knoweth alle the world Suche a lord gyueth to a man suche vertues and grace For he setteth a man in his ryght estate in whiche he was fyrst sette in and made The man was made in suche honour in suche seygnorye that he was lord ouer al creatures that were vnder heuen to whome al thynges obeyed and to whome noo thynge myght noye ne greue and this is the ryght estate to the man and to his seygnorye but he lost this seygnorye by synne And myght not recouer it ageyn but by vertu But vertue setteth a man on hyghe and setteth the world vnder his feet and maketh hym to conuerse in heuen vertue maketh a man by good ryght gretter lord of the world than the kyng is of his royame For of the goodes of the world he hath as moche as his herte desyreth he hath his vsage and his sustenaunce and as moche as he may haue for suffysaunce and more suffysantlye than the kyng hath in his royame For al that the good hath and the euyl al is his Therfore of alle he dooth hys prouffyte and preyseth god and thanketh and loueth hym the more and doubteth and serueth And in thys he seeth and knoweth that euery creature is made for to serue hym Also there is another seygnorye moche grete withoute whome there is none by ryzt lord for he is emperour lord of hym self that is of his body of his
grete chepe in theyr courtes The grettest derthe that is aboute these grete lordes is of veryte and of trouthe and therfore been they ofte deceyued For they here gladly and byleuen lyghtly that which pleaseth them Seneke sayth that there lacketh no thynge to grete lordes but trewe spekars and sayers of trouthe For of lyars they haue grete plenteâ— A man ought to haue hys ere 's open for to here gladly the good wordes whiche auayllen and prouffyten to the helthe of the soule And a man ouzt to haue his ere 's closed and stopped to lewde and folisshe wordes whiche may noye and greue and may not helpe wherof the wyse man sayth in the scrypture Stoppe thyn ere 's with thornes and herkene not the euyl tongue The euyll tongue is the tongue of the serpent of helle whyche the euyll sayers bere and enuenymeth hym that hereth them ¶ Ayenst suche tongues one ouzt to stoppe his ere 's wyth thornes of the drede of our lord or of the thornes of whych our lord was crowned in remembraunce of hys passyon· they shold not gladly here the euyl sayers ne the flaterers ne lewd wordes ne dyshonest ¶ In another manere may thys worde be vnderstonden Stoppe thyn ere 's wyth thornes The thornes that pricken sygnefyen hard wordes by which one ought to repreue the euyl sayers and shewe to them that they wyl not gladly here them There is a serpent whyche is called in latyn asâ—â—s whyche is of suche nature that he stoppeth one of his ere 's wyth the erthe And that other ere he stoppeth wyth hys 〈◊〉 to the ende that he here not thenchauntour ¶ Thys serpent enseygneth to vs a grete wysedom that we shold not here thenchauntour That is the flaterer the lyar and euyll sayers whyche enchaunte ofte the ryche men who that wold stoppe one of his eerys wyth erthe and that other wyth hys taylle he shold not retche to be enchaunted of the deuyll ne of euyl tongues He stoppeth one of his eeres wyth erthe â–ª that thynketh that he is of the erthe and to the erthe shal retorne And thus a man remembreth his Infyrmyte and his vylete wherfore he ought to humble hym self and no thynge preyse That other ere he ought to stoppe wyth hys taylle for remembraunce of deth whyche he ought moche to fere and drede who that thus coude and wolde stoppe his ere 's he wold not gladly here ne remembre ne saye ne herkene wordes that shold dysplease god Thus shal he be wel mesured in heryng in thys fourth degree of sobrenes and of attemperaunce ¶ The v degree of sobrenes and of mesure Capitulo Clix THe fyffhe degree of the vertue of sobrenes is to kepe mesure in habyte in vestymentes· and in precyouse roobes where a man or woman passeth oft mesure and dooth grete oultrage and by cause that the makyng of them is ouer curyouse· or ouer proude or ouer grete and excessyf of dyspences it is grete synne oftymes and causeth many other to do synne and in suche thynges one ought to kepe mesure For yf ouer precyons and ouer curyous araye were not synne our lord wold not haue spoken so hardly in the gospel ayenste the euyll ryche man whiche clad hym so proudly with soft byse and precyous purpre And certeynly he is moche a fool· and a chylde of wytte that of a gowne robe or what someuer precyous clothyng it be that is prowd therof for there is none of what so hye estate he be but that he is cladde arayed of dede beestes and for to consydere wel it is alle but vanytee and fylthe and al bycometh ordure Certeynly he or she shold wel be holden for a fole that wold be proude to bere the habyte or the vesture whyche shold not be but as a sygne a memoryal of the shame of his fader and of his synne This is the vsage of clothes which was neuer fouÌ„de but for the synne of Adam our fyrst fader and of Eue our fyrst moder for to couer their confusyon and oures whaÌ„ we see a biere of a dede corps whiche is couerd and apparaylled aboue It is a sygne that there is wythin a dede body Ryght so it happeth oftymes that vnder these fayre robes the soule is dede by synne Specially in them that gloryfye them and ben proude Yf the pecock be proude of his taylle or the cocke of his crestâ— it is no meruaylle for nature hath gyuen it to them and they doo after theyr nature But a man or a wyman that hath wytte and reson whiche knoweth wel that natuâ—e hath not gyuen to hym suche a robe or gowne he ought not to be proude of the arayement of hys body whyche is not but of dede beestes· or of that whych cometh fro the erthe ne also of the queyntysâ— or parements that be in his heed Therfore sayth the wyse man in the scrypture Ne glorefye the not in fayr roobes And Saynt Poul sayth that the wymmen ought to araye them wyth sobrenes and mesure That is to say by mesure wythoute oultrage after that thestate of the persone requyreth certeynly it is not with oute oultrage whan a persone hath for his body soo many gownes and roobes that many poure men myght be susteyned of the surplus and of it whyche is ouermoche yet yf they were gyuen atte laste for goddes loue it shold be somwhat but they be gyuen to rybauldes which is so grete synne Therfore ought to be kept in suche thynges mesure and good ordenaunce after that that the state of the persone requyreth as I haue sayd tofore ¶ The vj degree of the vertu of sobrenes and of attemperaunce capitulo Clx THe syxthe degree of sobrenes of attemperauÌ„ce is that eueryche kepe mesure in good manere wherof Seneke sayth yf thou art sobre and attemperate· take good hede that the moeuynges of thyn hert of thy body be not foule ne dysauenaunte For of the dysordynaunce of the hert cometh the dysordynaunce of the body Somme be so chyldysshe of soo nyce manere that they make them self be holden for a fool It apperteyneth to a man of value whyche is in grete and hye estate that he be wel ordeyned wel amesured in al his dedes al his sayenges of fayr good countenaunce to fore al peple so that none take euyl example of hym that they be not holden for a fool· For as a phylosopher sayth A chylde of age a chylde of wytte of maners ben all one the scripture sayth that a chylde of an hondred yere shal be cursyd That is to say that he that is of grete age and lyueth as a chylde shal be cursyd wherof saynt Poule sayth of hym self whan I was a chylde I dyd as a chylde but whan I came to the age of a parâ—yght man I lefte my chyldehode For who that holdeth a man of age for a chylde he holdeth hym for a fool And therfore sayth saynt poul Be not