suffred many domages and hurtes for the wyall mageste ordinaunce Ne in him that hath made eny aliaunce or promesse with his ennemyes he ought to be wele ware that he yeue no po wer to non suche as thoo abouesaide And sayd It is an impossible thing a man to kepe him from falling in som fawte that is exaltid with a kyng in grete magnificence without desserte And said whan a wyse prince knoweth that eny of his men had offenseth ayenst him he ought has tely to enquere the trouth of the dede and the quantite of the trespas and yf it be don wylfully or by ignorance and also If he was wont to do so and yf he be like to falle therin ayen And vpon euery of the same pointis to Remedye hastely ¶ And said The kynges seruauntis ought to shewe in seruyng hym their good vertues their feith the noblesse of their kynrede to thenteute that the kyng may bettir knowe hem and do to euery of them as he shal haue deserued ¶ And saide If a kyng loueth and cherissheth the vntrewe and wikkid men as them that been good and true he ought not to be called kyng for he is not like to reygne long ¶ And said If the kyngis conseyllours his physicien and hys confessour deleth wyth other thynges than langith to their offices ¶ The kyng shall contynuelly be endommaged seke of body and of the soule ¶ And like to come to a foule ende ¶ And saide He that sayth not trouth to hys leche And he that counceylleth wyth his frendâ—… ¶ And â—…elleth him not the trouth of his counceylle he distroyeth him self ¶ And Assaron sayde A kyng sholde not commytte to another the besynes that ys necessarye to hym self for to do ¶ And Assaron sayde The moost secrete counseylle of the kyng Is his conscience and his good dedes is hys best tresour ¶ And of alle men the trewesâ—… is the best ¶ And the best Rychesses ben they that be truely and duely goten ¶ And he sayth a kyng sholde committe his besynesses to him that he hath proued in fayth in witte and in good gouernaunce and if he may finde no suche â–ª take him that hath euer be conuersant with wyse men ¶ And he said a wyse kyng of good vnderstonding amendeth and auaylleth moche his counseillonrs ¶ And he sayth whan a kyng of good discrecion hath to do two right hasty thinges he sholde begynne at the noblest and at the most pronffittable And yf they ben bothe two of one estate begiÌ„ne at that whiche may best be recouerd in tyme comyng ¶ And he sayth yf a kyng be mercyfull his besynes shal goo wel his wysedom shal auayle him in tyme comyng yf he be trewe his people shal reioyse with him yf he be Iuste his regne shal endure ¶ And he sayth kyn ges sholde gete good renoÌ„me and other mene dignitees by good mesure for ontrageousnes is not enduryng ¶ And he sayth yt belongeth to a conquerours kyng to sette and kepe good Iustice in his Reames and other lordshippes go ten ¶ And hou be it that it is a greuous thing to conquere them yet is it a more greuous more chargeable thing to kepe them wel ¶ And he sayth he that is most complete of witt is he that knoweth him self And that departed him not from thobeyssauÌ„ce of god for what maner occasion that cometh to him that contynuelly thanketh him for the goodes that he hath sent him ¶ And assaron sayth that an euill lawe the loue of a shrewe lastth no lenger than the shadowe of acloude ¶ And assaron sayth that a wyseman enforceth him to fle and wythdraweth from harme And the foole doth grete payne to fynde hit And assaron sayth whan a wyseman that is counceylour or offycer to a kyng seeth that the kynge wille doo or saye ony thing domageable and harmefull to hym or to hys Royaume or to his people and subgettis he shold addresse and remembre him of good examples of cronyckes and histories of his noble and wyse predecessour concernyng vnto that purpos in so moche that the kyng conceyue and haue knowleche that he sayth it for his wele and worship ¶ LEgmon was born in Ethyope and lerned his science in the londe of Asteyn in the tyme of king dauid the prophete And was bought by a Iewe for an esclaue or bondman for xxx marck And his maistre pleyed gladly atte dise and ther ran by fore his maistres gate a Ryuer And on a tyme as his maister an other man playde atte dyse they leyd sette an owche to plege that who of them lost a game shold do the wille of the winnar or he shold drynke alle the water that ran passed afore his yate So it happend that his maistre lost And that other comaunded him that he sholde do hoolly his comaÌ„dement And the loser ansuerd that he was redy to be at his Iugement Thenne he said to him thou shalt gyue me alle the good that thou hast of ony valewe or thou shalt drynke all the watre of this Ryuer And he that had lost demanded only respyte of one daye for tauise him that other graunted it to him And thus he abode in his hous right pensyf and ful of thoughte how he might escape fro this perille And as he was in this thought legmon his bondman and seruauÌ„t cam home brouht vpon his necke a burthen of wood and salewed his maistre ¶ The whiche gaf him no answere for the thought that he was in Howe be it he was accustomed for taraysone hym for the good wordes that he fonde in him thenne legmon said to hym Maistre who hath angred or greuid the And he answerd nothing agayn And legmon said maistre telle me the cause of thy sorow and woo For I shal lyghtly remedye it if I may and thenne his maistre reherced to hym all the fayte as is afore reherced And thenne legmon said to him that he sholde in no wyse abasshe him ¶ For he wold gyue him good counceyll Thou shalt demande him sayd he if thou shalt drinke that the ruyer coÌ„teyneth now thys present tyme â–ª or ellis all that that shal renne and come continuelly and I wote wel he shal saye that thou shal drinke al that it conteyneth now and whan he hath so said thou shalt saye to him that he stoppe and make the riuyer to staÌ„de without rennyng ony more that thou art redy to drinke hit that it holdeth now and thus thou shalt wynne thy cause ¶ Whan the maister herde the counseyll of his bondman he was moche recomforted And in like wyse on the mornÌ„ he said to him that had wonne the owche in thys wyse he escaped from the paryll and fro theÌ„ne forthon he afranchised legmon ande made him fre that a fore was bonde and thrall And he dyde and gaf him moche good and was reputed for right â–ª a wyseman ¶ And one of his
in vertue and is sure whan it is set in sapieÌ„ce And fraud barat is in the fruit of euill though â—…s ¶ And said the mouth sheweth ofte what the hert thinketh ¶ And said the looke sheweth somtyme the dis posicion of the hert a fore the wordes been spoken ¶ And saide it is agrete surete for a man to purueye by tyme in his causis ¶ And saide it is merueile of a man that may be in resemblaunce to god and enforceth him self to be like beestâ—…s ¶ And saide beware thou do ne take noo thing that thou ferest to be accused of for if thou do thou shalt be the accuser of thy selfe ¶ And saide payne thy self to winne good condicions and vertues for therby vices harmes 〈◊〉 eschewed ¶ And saide ther was somtyme a wiese man skaped out of a broken and lost ship in to an Isle of the see and so beyng ther alone drewe a figure of geometrie vpon the sandis where with he was fonde by certaine shipmen that brought hym to the kyng of that grounde tellyng hym that cas and auenture And therfore the kyng sent through all hys prouinces and charged them thy shulde enforce them self to lerne and haue suche connyngis as shulde byde with them after theyr ship were lost that is to say science and goode werkâ—…s ¶ And a man berith with hym .ij. vesseâ—…s the on be fore and the other be hynde In that 〈◊〉 be the 〈◊〉 and vices of other folkis In that behynde be his owne ¶ And saide to his sone Beware that thou be not couetous for yf thou be couetous thou shalt be pouer And saide If thou be pacient thou shalt be preysed If thou be prowde thou shalt be blamed ¶ And said a man is bettir than al other bestes of the erthe ¶ And saide Sapience is to werke by science And saiâ—…e knowlege is bettir than ignoraunce ¶ And said thys world is an house of marchaundyse som wynne therin by their goode dedis and somme liese by th aire euill gouernaunce ¶ And said by grete dylygence som men atteyne to their purpose ¶ And saide he that hath grete myght and gouernaunce in thys worlde ought to haue no grete reioyssyng â–ª and he that hath noon is dispreysed ¶ And saide ther is no wikkedder thyng than lyeng and ther is no goodenesse in alyer SAlon was of Athenes and made many bookis of predicacions ¶ And establysshed the lawes there whiche athenes was a Cyte in thoos dayes fulfil led with wysemen he hadde many verses techyng folkis to eschewe their propre willes ¶ And saide Whan thou wilt doo ony thyng folowe not thyn owne wil but seke counsey le and therby shalt thou knowe the trouth of the werkes ¶ It was asked him What was the mooste difficulte in a man â–ª ¶ He answered To knowe him self To kepe hys frauÌ„chyse or liberte To speke in places where he ought not To be angry with that he may not ameÌ„de to coueyte that that he may not haue ¶ And said the thingeis of thys world ar establisshed by lawes and the lawees be sustyned by ij thingis that is to say by swerde and by banere ¶ And said to his disciples wave that ye be noo mokers for that engendreth hattered ¶ And saide the ber tuous laudes of a man be not thoos þ t he yeueth him self but thoos that ben yeuen hym for his goode werkes And it was asked him who was liberall he saide he that vsith liberalite not couetyng other menneâ—… goodes ¶ And said an euill tonge was sharper than a glayâ—…e A riche man as ked him what were his goodis heâ—… answered my tresor is suche that no man may haue yt withoute my wyll and may not be mynisshed for no thing that I yeue of it but thou maist departe with noonÌ„ of thynÌ„ withoute dymynuacion ¶ And said yf thou wilt the loue of thy frende shal abyde ferme vnto the. be curteise to him and spare him in his angre or errour ¶ And saide thou owghtest not to yeue a man greter preisyng in his pÌ„sence than he is worthy for he knoweth the trouth And was axed him howe a man shold wynnÌ„ frendes he answered in worshipping seyng good of them in their absence And said agoode saule hath ney ther to grete Ioye nor to grete sorowe for she reioyseth nat but whan she seeth goode thynges and noonÌ„ euyll and hath no sorowe but when she seeth the euill thingis and noonÌ„ goode And whan she loketh on all the world she seeth the goode the euyll so entermedled that she sholde not simply reioysse her self nor trouble her self angrely ¶ And saide a kyng that doth right Iustice shall reigne and gouerne wele his people he that doth Iniustice and violeÌ„ce seketh another to reigne for him And said it behoueth a kyng or a prince first to ordre dresse him self after to dresse other or ellis he shulde be like him that wolde dresse his shadowe a for him self ¶ And yt was askid of hym Whan Contrees and townes wer wele gouerned He answered and said whan their prynces rule them after their lawes SAbyon was a grete deffendour of his neyghbours hadde certayn frendes whiche a kyng wolde slee And whan the saide sabyon vnderstode it he went with them in resistence of the said kyng whiche kyng assembled so grete nombre of knyghtes ayenst him that he was discomfit taken and was commaÌ„ded to be put in engyne and tormeÌ„ted withoute he wolde accuse them that wer coÌ„senting to make werre ayenst the kyng whiche Sabyon ansuerd that for no payne he wold not telle that thyng that shulde noye his frendes ¶ And in dede beyng in the engyne cutte his tonge with his owne teth to th entent that he myght not accuse his felowes and frendes And the sayde sabyon lyued xlviii yere and her after folowed of his seynges to his disciples ¶ And sayd yf ye lese eny thing say not ye haue lost it but saye ye haue restored that was not youres And sayde to one of his discipples multiplie thy frendes and that shal asswage thy care ¶ And sayde a wyseman ought to be ware howe he weddeth a fayre woman for euery man wil desire to haue her loue And so they wol seke their pleasirs to the hurt and displeasir of her housband And sayde Delectacion in richesse is a dangerous vice ¶ And there cam one of his seruauntis vnto him on a tyme and tolde him that his sone was dede he ans uerd that he knowe wel that he was mortal not inmortal and a man ought not to drede the deth of the body but the deth of the saule OonÌ„ asked why he said so considering that he helde thoppynion that a resonable saule myght not dye he aunswerde whan a resonable saule is conuerted to the nature of a beste withoute vse of reason al be it that it be sustaunce incorruptible yet is she reputed for dede for she leseth
yf thou be in errour thou canst neuer gouerne hem wele for a pouer mā can not make another riche he that is disworshipped can not worship another he that is right feble may not helpe another so may not goodely ne wese eny man directe another but if he directe him self first And therfore if thou woll take of the filthes from other clense thy self first or ellis thou shalt be as the leche that is seke can not hele him self and traueileth to hele other that haue the same sekenesse ¶ And sayd It is a grete a vancement to the people to haue a right wys kyng ¶ And It is a grete corrupcion vnto theym to haue a corrupt and mysruled kyng ¶ And saide kepe the fro couetise for thou oughtest to thynk and remembre wele that It is not laudable thyng to haue richesses in thys worlde and shame in the other seyng that this worl de is no more but onely abaytyng place for to go to the other worlde ¶ And said If thou wol be riche suffise the with suche as thou hast for he that hath not suffisaunce can neuer be riche what goodes that euer he hath ¶ And sayd If it were so that by euill doyng It shulde fortune the to ha ue som good by wele doyng to haue som harme yet eschewe the euill orellis thou shalt be deceyued atte last euir do wele atte last thou shalt be remunered therfore And said suche thing as thou praysis vpon thy self blame it not vpon another and do nothing to other but as thou wolde sé it wer don to the refrayn thyn owne wille hate not other men be not enuious and haue him not in Indignacion that hath offenseth the for no man can somtyme esche we errour be not couetous for couetise lettith the mānes reason taketh aweye the knowlege of trouth do not vncouenable werkis take compaynie with wyse men and studie in their bookis fle lesinges for the lyers lyeth not but for vnkno wing of reason of her saules the lest harme that can fall to alyer is that noo man bileueth him of nothing that be saith neuertheles a man may bettir be ware of a theffe than of alyer ¶ And said the hertis of good people accorden togiders like as renning watre with the watre of the see the hertis of euil people can not lightly accorde al be it that thei be togidres as the vnreasonable bestes that playe lepe togidre sodaynly falle to fighting ¶ And said ordeigne that your offices and auctoritees ben yeuen to them that lo ueth foloweth trouth right wysnes and cause them to haue rigorous peynes þ t ben harmedoers loueth falshode decepcion And said If ye haue do wte in eny thing counseile you to wysemē if thei dispraise you therof be ye neu wroth therfore ▪ and yf a man hath som vice beside that hath many vertues ye ought not therfore to lete to aske him cōseile And said many man shal both lette and trouble them that can not helpe hym And saide Iustice is a mesure the whi che god hath ordeigned vpon the erthe by the whiche the fe ble is defended from the myghty and the true from the vn true ¶ And saide the wyseman knoweth what ignorance is in asmoche as somtyme he hath ben ignorant but the ignorant was neuer wyse therfore he knoweth not what is wysedom ¶ And said to Alexandre ther be may litil besinesses in thy Royame many grete generall if thou ye ue pouer to eny persone vpon the grete thy self to occupie the litil thou shalt wele witte perceyue that grete domage shul therby fal to the in tyme comyng if it falle not sonner And said liberalite is to yeue to nedi peple or to him þ t hath deserued it so that the gift be after the possibilite of the yeuer for he that yeueth ouer reason ought to be called a waster not liberal And said sapiēce is the defense of the soule myrrour of reason wherfore he is right blessid þ t traueilleth to haue her for she is the fōdemēt the roote of al noble dedes laudable thingis by her we may winne the good en de and kepe vs from peyne euerlastyng And said O alex andre if thou vse thy pouoir and lordship other wyse than thou oughtest to do thou shalt be enuied of enuie shal com lesingis of lesingis shal com Iniustice ennemytee of In iustice and ennemyte shal com bataile and by batayll the lawe shal be perisshed the people hurt and thy possessions lost ¶ But yf thou vse thy lordship as thou oughteste to do trouth shall encresse in thy Royaume of trouth shall come Iustice of Iustice loue of loue grete yeftis su retie by the whiche the lawe the people and thy good shal be maynteyned encrece ¶ And said he that maketh his Royaume seruaunt to the lawe shal reigne he that taketh put out the lawe from the royame shal not reigne And said A kyng ought to be of goode strong courage to remēbre wele the ende of the werkis to be courtoys fre to refrayn his wrath wher it apparteigneth and shewe hit where it nedeth to kepe him from couetise to be true to gouerne him as nygh as he may after his good predecessours to yeue to his men as they haue deserued to deffende kepe the lawe the feith euir to do wele after his might yf the strength of his body faile him thenne to kepe the might of his corage by the whiche he shal be the more assured in al his nedis And said the kyng that gouerneth him his roaume wele by his wysdom Is worthy to be greetly praised lauded ¶ And said to Alexander seche to wynne the ri chesses that be not trāsitories the lyf that is not moeuable the kingdoō that can not be taken aweye from the the euer lasting Ioye be piteful but not somoche that thou stāde in daungir therby do pugnicion Iustice to thaim that haue deserued it without delay trauaille the to fortiffie the lawe for in that is the loue drede of god whan thou shalt be cōpelled to take vēgeaunse of thyn ēnemy put it not ouer til another daye for the fortune cōdicions of this worlde in oeue chaunge of tētymes sodaynely ¶ And said thou ought not to hate him that saith the sothe nor to chide him that kepeth the feithe but he that shal do cōtrarie to the feith be thou his ēnemy with al the pouer of thy reame and said It is bettir that thou correcte thy self and amende the after the exemple of thy predecessours than thy successours shulde amende him aftir the exemple of the ¶ And said worshippe the goode men therby thou shalt haue the loue of the people and sette not all thy will in this world in the
gouernaunce Slepe no more than shal suffyse onely for the sustentacion of thy body and the rest of thy herte and entremetâ—… not nor let thy werkys be but in rightwysenesse and trouth withoute dissimulacion and slouthe nor delay not that thou must nedely execute Sustey ne and loue also thoos that be the grete multiplyers that ys to saye the coÌ„mones that labour the erthe by tylth and so wyng sedes vpon the same by the whiche the royaumes and the people be susteyned the knyghtehode multyplied and the houses fulle of richesse wherfore suche wol be kept and cherisshed ¶ And It behoueth openly to worship thoos that be goode euery man after his discrecion condicion and science to that entent that the peple may so knowe them and be bonteuous to alle thoos that seke sciences to corage them the more to lerne and entende To studye so that the royaumes or prouynces may be the better for thair connynges ¶ Besye thy self to punysshe malefactours and thoos that putteth the in daunger or trouble within thy wyaume or lordship make stryke of their hedes publykely that other may take example by them to a theeâ—…fe lete his hande be stryken of To a robber of the hygh waye let him behanged that the waye may be the surer Bren the Sodomytes and punysshe the men taken in fornycacion after their estate ¶ And the women in like wyse Ware the of the wordes of lyers and suche punysshe se the pryfonners ones in a moneth ¶ And Delyuere thoos that ought to be delyuered and yeue them of thyn almes pâ—…â—…sshe incontinent thoos that haue deserued It Yet not so hastyly but that they may haue dysir of repentaunce and that other let hem be kept til thou knowe the trouth whether they be gylty or not Beware also Vse not thyn owne couÌ„seyle onely But be auysed by men of Age and discrecion ¶ And suche as been experte in many thynges And whan thou shalt fynde ony suche Iust and rihtfully be coun seyled by him ¶ And elles reporte the to the mooste holsome opynyon of alle thy counseyllours and god shall helpe the. ¶ And said He Is noble that vsith goodenesse And It is a grete goodenesse to vse Iustyce and chastyte and to yeue lyberally or It be axid ¶ And sayde whan ¶ A kyng or a prince can nor wille restrayne hys euyll vices and couetise howe shulde he repreue his seruauntes whan he can not correcte his propre seruauntis howe shulde he correcte and gyde alle his people and specialy thoos that ben ferre from hym Therfore It behoueth A kyng or a prynce fyrst to be lorde ouer hym self And after vpon other by ordre ¶ And sayde A good kyng or a prynce shulde not be to full of Suspection for It wol make men drawe from hym And also he ought not to haue eny of that disposicion in his house ¶ And in especyall Bakbyters Contryuers or Reporters of tales For whan there Is dyuysion or trouble in A kyngys or in a prynces house Lyghtly no good Counseyllours or seruauntis wylle abyde there TAc sayd he that can not refrayne his Ire hath no power ouir hys witte And said a wyse kyng or a prince ought not to make comparisons nor dispute in discreconÌ„ with a greter and myghtier than he is ¶ And said whan a kyng or a prince hath conquered and ouer come his ennemyes he ought to maynteyne them in Iustice. in good custumes and liberalite and pacience And so may he make of ennemyes his freÌ„des And said yf a kyng or a prince assemble an outrageous tresur and dispende it not â—…t it apparteyneth he shal lese both it his Royaume ¶ And saide â–ª the people ar to the kyng as the wynde to a grete fyere for the more the wynde is the stronger is the fyere ¶ And saide a kyng or a prince ought to knowe thoos that wele and truely haue serued him and establisshe thoos a boute hym self after th aire trouth witte conÌ„yng and ought to yeue and be bounâ—…evous vnto theym aftir theyr merites â–ª And yf he yeue by wil to noughty folkis that haue not deserued it it puteth a weye the courage of his goode sernauntis to serue hym wele eny lenger and so shal he be bastily so full of noughty people that when he wolde he can not be delyuerede of theym ¶ And saide it is conuement for a kyng or aprince to lerne and knowe but not all for there is many thinges that a kyng or a prince ought not to knowe nor vnderstonde _â—Alquinus sayde that men receyue grete benefices dayly of god our creatour al be it that they be synners Then they be bouÌ„de to thanke hym for hys graces and to aske hym pardon for thayr trespasses ¶ And said many thyngis seme right good that be â—…ull badde and after gretely blamed And many thynâ—…es be dispraysyd in the begynnyng that afterward ben founde goode and desired ¶ And sayde Bettir it is to the to haue grete necessite than to borowe of him in whom thou hast no truste ¶ And sayde If thou laboure to teche a foole the more shal folye encresse And said I merueil of thoos that absteyne them from metis noyng to the body and maketh none abstynence of synne ¶ And said mul teplye silence for that auoydeth perelles and vse trouth Whiche discipline shal maynteyne the and thy werkis he that wol wele kepe the feyth ought to leue to his frende of hys goode and to be gracious to them that he knoweth good and no denyer of Iustice to his ennemye and to eschewe alle thyngis that toucheth disworship OMer was an anucient vercifier in Grece and of the gretest astate there he was after moyses v. â—… lv yere he made many goode thingis and allâ—… the vercifiers of grece folowed his discipline The whiche omer by fortune was taken and emprisoned and put to be solde as a prisonner or a bondema â–ª ¶ And tâ—…an one axed hym whens he was He sayd of his fadâ—…e and of his modre will thou that I shal beye the And â—…e 〈◊〉 why axest thou me counseyle what thou woâ—… 〈◊〉 with 〈◊〉 siluer ¶ And they axed him Wherto he was gooâ—… 〈◊〉 sayd To be deliuerd ¶ And so abode long in prâ—…son ¶ And at the last they lete him go He was A man faire formed and of large statuâ—…e and lyued Cviij yere And here after folowe his seyinges he is discrete that can refrayne his tonge ¶ And said â—…e that weâ—…kith by conseil yeueth him self rest and labour to other And saide it is a frendely lyuyng to dâ—…le withoute fraude and â—…rat And saide acompanye the with good people and thou shalt be on of hem acompanye the with badde thou shalt be on of thoos And saide he is good and liberal that applieth him to good werkis and â—…lene and that putteth them in execu conÌ„ or euer ther come eny occasion of empeschement And said the hert shyneth
liberte fraun chise ¶ And saide It is more couenable for a man to suf frâ—… dâ—…th than to put his soule in perpetuel derknes And soyde Lette not to doo goode dedis though they be not plea saunt to the worlde ¶ And saide dele alwaye so to thy power that thy soule may stande in goode and noble state whatsomeuer falle of thy body ¶ And sayde Aclene and pure soule hath no delyte in wordely thynges ¶ And sayde go not the pathes that thou maist gete hatered by Ande sayde thou oughtest to wynne frendis for the maynteynyng of thyn astate and do not thoo thynges that thou couetest but that thou oughtest to do and take hede whan thou shalt speke and whan thou shuld holde thy peace ¶ And sayde he refreyneth him from couetise that letteth not to spende hys goode for his frendes ¶ And sayde put alle couetise from the. and than shalt thou apper ceyuâ—… trouth ¶ And said He is not verry pacient that sufferyth but as moche as he may But he is presentely pacient that suffereth ouer his power ¶ And sayde Pytagoras Ryght as a leche ys not reputed nor taken for goode nor connyng that heleth other and can not hele him selfe right so ys he noo goode gouernour that commandeth other to eschewe vices and nether can nor wyll leue them hym selfe And sayd the worlde varieth nowe with the and nowe ayenst the If it be vith the thynke to do wele yf it be ayenst the take it paciently ¶ And saide many harmes coÌ„me to beestes by cause thy be domme and vnto men through their owne speche ¶ And saide harde it is to greue him that can absteyne him from iiij thingis that is to witte hastynesse wilfulle frowardenesse pride and slowthe for hastynesse causith repentaunce wilfulle frowardenesse causeth losses pryde causeth hattered and slowth causeth dispreysing He sawe a man right noblâ—… and richely arrayed whiche hadde vyle and foule wordes To whom he sayde Other speke after thyn arraye or lete thyn arraye be aftir thy wordes The kyng than of Ceallâ—… desired hym to dwelle with hym To whom he saide thâ—… wâ—… kes and thy demeanyngis be contrarye to thy prouffyt And thyn office is not wele executed for thou distroyest the fundement of thy feyth wherfore I wol not dwelle with the for the physicien Is not sure for amongis hys pacientis he may take sekenesse ¶ And sayde If thou wâ—… that thy childeren or thy seruantis do no fawtes thou 〈◊〉 reste a thyng innaturall ¶ And sayde The soule that is in the company of goode peple is in delectacion and Ioye And when it is amonge euyl It is in sorowe and lâ—…uines se. ¶ And sayd The wyseman thenketh on the we le of his soule as attentyuely as other atteÌ„de to the we le of theyr bodyes ¶ And saide take frenship of hem that thou seest folowe trouth thinke or thou werke And saide right as a physicien can not hele hys pacient wythoute he telle hym the trouth of hys disease right so may not a man be wele counseylled of hys frende withoute he telle hym the playnesse of hys cause ¶ And saide many ennemytees gro wen for faulte of trust betwix parties and trust causeth often many harmes ¶ And whan pytagoras sat in hys cheyre he vsed in shewyng his doctrines to saye mesure your pathes and go the right weye so shal ye go surely Attempre you from couetise and your goode astate shall dure vse Iustice and ye shal be byloued and dredde kepe nat your body in grete delectacions for and ye so do ye shal not con fusteyne the aduersites that myght falle vnto you ¶ And he sawe an olde man that was shamefast to 〈◊〉 to whom he sayde ¶ Science is bettir in age than in â—…gth ¶ And sayde ¶ If thou wylt dispreyse hym â—…at thou hatest shewe not that thou art hys ennemye And saide a goode kyng or a prince ought to thinke diligenteli to the state and guydyng of hys lande and ought to ouersee hyt as often as a goode gardyner doth his garden ¶ And saide hyt behoueth a kyng to yeue exâ—…ple him self to kepe his lawes and se that his next kynnesmen and frendes do so after him and it apparteneth not to a kyng to be prowde nor to do after hys owne wil only nor to ride couertely nor in noo derâ—…re nyght but gladdely shewe him self open faced a mongis his people and coÌ„ueny ently be conuersant amongis them without ouer moche famylyarite ¶ And whan a kyng or a prince shal go to his rest that he se ther be goode wache and yf thy faylle theryn that he punysshe them we le and to beware to ete the mete that a Ialous woman yeueth hym or eny other suspect persone ¶ And sayde the we le disposed man remembreth but hys synnes and the euyll disposed hath mynde but on hys vertues It fortuned his wyff was deces sed in aferre countre and som axed hym If there were eny dyfference to dye in their propre lande or ellis ferre froÌ„ thens He ansuerd whersomeuer one dye the weye to the other world is alle like ¶ And sayd to a yong man that wolde not lerne in his youthe If thou wolle not take peyne to lerne thou shalt haue the peyne to be lewde and vnconnyng And saide god loueth thoos that bee disobeissant to euyll temptacions ¶ And saide good praeyer is one of the beste thinges a man may present to god yf thou axe him eny boon lete thy werkys be agreable vnto hym DYogenes otherwyse called dogly by cause he hadde som condicions of a dogge and he was the wysest man that was in hys dayes He dispraysed gretely the worlde and lay in a tonne Whiche he tourned for his auantage from the sonne And the wynde as it pleased hym and therin he rested whansomeuer the nyght fill vpon him He ete whansomeuer he was hungered were it by day or by nyght in the strete or ellis where wythoute eny shame therof ¶ And was content wyth .ij. gownes of wollen cloth in the yere ¶ Ande so he leuyd and gonuerned him self till his deth ¶ Somme axed him Why he was called dogly he sayde be cause I barke vpon the fooles and fawne vpon the wysemen ¶ Alexsandre the grete cam vnto hym of whom he toke litle regarde be axed hym why he sette so litil by hym seyng that he was so myghty a hyng and hadde noo necessite he ansuerd I haue noght to â—…o nor sette by him that is bondeman to my thrall why qd Alexsandre am I so than ye said diogenes for I am lord and maistre to al couetise and holde her vnder my fete as my thrall and couetise is thy maistresse and thou art bounde vnto her and so art thou bounde to my thrall Than sayd alexsandre yf thou wylt axe me eny thying of thys worlde I wol yeue it the Dyogenes answered why shulde I axe the eny thing while I am
is better than euyl goten richesse â–ª And saide a maÌ„ without scieÌ„ce is like a royame without a kyng And saide a kyng ought to take none to his seruice but suche as he hath preued afore good and true ¶ And said he that taketh al men in like condicion may not make hem al his frendes ¶ And saide committe all thy causes to god with out eny excepcion â–ª And said repute not thy synnes litil nor magnifye thy good dedis for thou shalt haue nede of them yf they were more ¶ And said to his disciples beware of thys worlde thinke it is a thorny busshe that thou must trede vpon ¶ And said like as thoos that be wordely wyse kepe them from angre in the presence of their kyng by as grete reason ought they to be ware howe they aÌ„gre them afore god that is to vnderstanden in euery place for god is ouer all ¶ And said he that is long or he be angry is har der to appease than he that is lightly wroth right as the gre ne wode is hotter than the other whan it is wel kyndelyd Ther were brought afore him certayn people whiche said dy uers Iniures to him he answered if ye haue â—…ny other ma tere to wynne of me then thys do it or ellis holde youâ—… pras Ther was greter reuereÌ„ce made to another man than to him wherfore oon axed him if he had eny enuie therat le answe red if he had more scieÌ„ce than I I wolde haue hadde eÌ„uie at him or ellis not And said sapieÌ„ce goode renoÌ„me is not founde but in goode ê‘sones wherfore they be better than the grete richesse that is founde in fooles euil people said thy saule ought to thinke wel thy body to helpe therto And said that thou oughtest kepe secret in thy corrage dis couer it not to euery man And said oon vnto him þ t sawe him in a pouer clothing thys is not Socrates thus pouerly arraied that yaue the lawes to þ e people of atheÌ„s to whom he answerd þ e true lawis not mad by good arrayemeÌ„t but by vertue reason and science ¶ And said to his disciples Dyspreyse the deth and semblably drede hit ¶ And sayd a wyseman ought to knowe what is his soule PLaton is by interpretacion as moche to seye as ended or fulfilled was of grece by his faders syde he was of the noble esculapius kynnerede by his moders syde of the kiÌ„nered of zalon that ordeigned diuers lawes as it is aboueÌ„ saide he dwelled with socrates the spa ce of v yeres after the deth of the sayd socrates he vnderstode that in Egipte were certayn of pytagoras disciples to whom he went proffyted moche in lernyng with them he retourned then ayen to Athenes there he ordeigned .ij. scoles vsed laudable lyff in doyng goode werkis helping nourisshing the nedy peple And they of Athenes wold haue made him their lorde he refused hit vtterly for as mo che as he knewe them of badde wikked coÌ„dicions knewe wele that he coude not lightly chauÌ„ge their disposicioÌ„s al so he wyste wele if he shuld correcte them like as it appertey ned they wolde serue him as they did socrates The sayde plato lyued lxi yeres a man of good discrecion disposicion right pacient a grete yeuer of his good to pouer men to strangers he had many disciples amoÌ„ge the whi che .ij. of them after his deth that is to witte zenocrates Aristotiles helde the scoles And the said Platon dide teche his sapience by allegorye to th entent that hit shulde not be vnderstande but by wytty men ¶ And he lerned hit of Tymed and of socrates he made .vj. bookis and preched and taught the people that they shulde yeue graces and thankes to god for his goodenesse and mercy and for that he made them all egall in so moche that be a man neuer so mighty his power can no more than yf he were a poure crea ture resiste ayenst deth semblably he hadde thanke god for the witte that he hath yeuen to man ¶ And said ymagyne no thing to be in him but that that is nedfull good and couenable And said be not couetons vpon word ly goodes for god hath ordeygned that we shulde haue suffisaunce in thys worlde And suche suffisaunce is called Sapience The whiche ye ought to haue with the drede of god whiche is the keye of goodenesse wherby ye may entre and atteyne to the goode and true richesse of this world le uyng to do all thing that may cause hattered and euill will for and ye wist howe summe thinges that ye loue preyse ar euill and vyle ye wolde haue them in more hatered than loue And saide directe and amende your self and after labour to correcte other and if ye do not ye shal be daÌ„p ned And I telle you the thing that hath made me moost gladde Is that I haue not sette by golde ne siluer for if I hadde gadred grete tresor I shulde haue hade many heuy thoughtes where I haue nowe Ioye gladdenesse whiche encresse daily in me in lernyng wysdom And for to sete you wete that gold and siluer aren not good to be ouer moche set by ¶ Ther is summe countre that a littill yuory or vnycorne bone Is bought for a grete somme of gold And in other places men take glasses bras and other suche thinges for as moche gold And therfore if it were perfytely good of hit self hit shulde be egally chosen and loued ouer alle like as sapience ys chosen and loued in euery Cuntre ¶ And said Enquere and seke to haue vertues ye shal be saued praise no foule thingis and blame no thing that is laudable trauaile you not for to wynne thinges that shal lightly be lost folowe after your good predecessours arraye you with iustice and clothe you with chastite and so ye shal be happy your werkes lauded And sayde Custoume is a grete thing And said the wikked werkes dampne and distroye the good as the bitrenesse of the aloe tre distroyeth the swettenesse of the hony And said A wyseman ought not to think on his lossis but ought to kepe wele the remenaunt of his good ¶ And said he that doth not for his frendis while he may they wol leue him whan he shal haue moost nede to them ¶ And said that sapience is good for she can not be lost as other catalles and wordely goodes maye And it was axed him wher by awyse man myght be knowen he ansuerd whan he woll not be wroth of the iniures that ben don vnto him reioyseth him not when men preyse hym ¶ And It was axed of him howe men might beste be venged of their ennemyes he ansuerd for to be vertuous and to do good and noble dedes ¶ And said to his disciples Enforce you to gete Sciences by the whiche ye shal
whiche thou maist not long abyde And saide worshippe sapience for tiffie it by good maistris disciples scolers worship hem paye for their expencis kepe hem of thy household aftir that thou shalt se they shal be prouffited sped in the scien ce And thou shalt fynde that grete prouffit worship shal come to the therfore ¶ And saide he is of bygge strong corage of good discrecion laudable feith that bereth pacientely all his aduersitees for a man can not be knowen in his prosperite ¶ And saide thou ought to thinke that the wekest of alle thyn ennemyes is stronger than thy selfe ¶ And said thou ought to cherisshe thy knyghtis thy yomanry to haue hem in as grete loue in tyme of peas as in tyme of werre for if thou sette litill by them in tyme of peas they shal forsake the whan thou shalt haue more ne de of hem And said the grettest prouffit that thou canst do in thy royame is to take aweye the wikkid peple to rewar de the goode And saide a man is of euyl coÌ„diciou that taketh no hede but to the vices fawtes of other in dispreysing of them ¶ And said worshipful deth is bettir than sha meful lyf And said the sapience of a man of lowe degre is worship the folie of him þ t is of high degre is a shame auarice is the thiÌ„g that taketh awey the name of gentilnesse And said the good priÌ„ce ought to goune the peple as his good predecessours haue don to loue cherisshe the good and true peple more than his tresour or other wordely goo des and to delite him in that that he hath rightwysly and not wrougfully ¶ And said no man ought to be ashamed to do Iustice for if the kyng be not iusticial he is not knig but he is violent and rapax ¶ And said the wikkid men obeye for drede and the goode for theire goodenesse ¶ And said men ought to do wele to the good people to chastise the wikkid by rigour ¶ And said wrath ought not to be to sharp ne to swete and he wrotte an epistyll to AlexaÌ„dre that the kynges been worshipped for iij. thinges that is to witte for instruction of good lawes for conquestes of lan des regions and for to peoplishe distroye desertes 〈◊〉 dernessis and he wrotte also to alexandre that he shulde not be willing to correcte all meÌ„nes fawâ—… to 〈◊〉 for it lieth not entierly in mannes pouer to kepâ—… him from doing euil therfore it is good somtyme to foryâ—…ue 〈◊〉 if it be so that of nede pugnicion must be don men ought to shewe that thei do it by coÌ„pulsion to amende pugâ—… the errours not in manere noâ—… by weye of 〈◊〉 he sawe a man that hadde his hand smytten of foâ—… thefâ—…e that he had don And he said for asmoche as that man had taken from other suche as was not his owne men haue taken froÌ„ him that that was his said thou maist not so we le cause thy peple to loue the as to cherisshe hem shewe hem right wysenesse if thou doost the contrary though thou hast the lordship of their bodies thou hast not the lordship of their her t is ne of their courages that shalt thou finde whan thou callest vpon their seruise at thy nede wherfore it is a grete daÌ„gier for aâ—…ing to do iniurie do make his peple hade him And said he is right happy that can chastise him self takiÌ„g exemple by other And said fortifie your soules with goode dedes departe you from couetises which distroyeth the feble corages ¶ Ther is nothyng that maketh a man lesse to be sette by than to preyse and boste him self of his good dedis And it was axed of him what is the cause that wysemen wol not be wrothe eny man wol teche hem And he ansuerd for asmoche as wysemeÌ„ knowen that scieÌ„ce is a right prouffitable thiÌ„g And said he that wol not nor can not do wele atte lest ought to kepe him from euil doing And said to his disciples loke that ye haue iiij eeres ij for to herkeÌ„e lerne sciencis proffitable thingis the other ij for your other wordely besinesses The moost profitable thing to the world is the deth of the euil peple And saide a man may not be so wele knowen as in grete auctorite And said in al thingis the lest quaÌ„tite is the lighter to bere sauf only in scieÌ„ces for he þ t hath moost therof the lightelyer may he bere it And it was axed of him what was the moost couenable thiÌ„g for a discrete man to haue And he ansuerd that that shulde abide with him if he wer ascapede out of a drowned ship in the see And said men ought to loue to lerne the best of the scieÌ„ces as the bees loue the swetest of the floures he had a noble worshipfull heritage of the which he lete otâ—…r haue the gouernance wold not go theder him self And it was axed him the cause And he ansuerd that he that oftenest goth to se his heritagis hath the mo displeasirs And said the tonge of a foole is the key of his secret And said to one that was slowthful wold not lerne sithen thou wol not take the peyne for to lerne thou shalt haue the peyne to be lewde vnconnyng And said kepe the from the feliship of him that knoweth not him self ¶ Tho that been dayly enclined vtterly disposed to vices may not encresse in good ne proffyte in science And saide if thou woll haban done to thy body alle his wil thou shalt be the worse both in helth in alle other thinges and atte last thy soule shal be dampned therfore He that is entierly enclined to do fornicacion may not be praysed ne come to good ende ¶ And said a mery man wol not lightly be wroth A liberal man may not wele be enuious ne a couetous man content with his richesse And said the man is preued tryed by his werkis as the gold by the fyer One of his disciples made to him an euill raport of one of his felawes to whom â—…e said I wol not beleue thyn euill wordis ayenst thy felawe nor I wol not beleue his euil wordes ayenst the And said like as the rayn may not proffite to the corne that is sawâ—… vpon the drye stones nomore can studieng auaile to afoole A mannes tonge sheweth his witte or his folie ¶ Experience ought to correcte a man and to helpe hym to liue wele And saide sapience maketh richesse to be faier hydeth po uerte It was axed of him what was fayer speking And he ansuerd to speke litille laudably to yeue reasonable answeres he wrote thus to aleraÌ„dre ye be a noble migh ty kyng more mighty than ye were shal encrece yf ye di
recte gouerne wele iustely your peple and in so doing the people shal obeye you but if ye be an extorcioner take all their good from them than ye shal be lord of the pouer peple than shall ye be like him that hath leuer gouerne the dom beestis than the meÌ„ ne ther is nothiÌ„g so couenable to aking as to coueyte vnduely the goodes of his peple ¶ And said he that hath a litil of trouth desireth to haue more And said reason maketh a man to be more souuerain than beestis he that hath no reason is but a beeste in many thinges the newest is the best but loue is contrarye for the elder it is the more it is worth one Abrakyn lord of sciences axed him what thing a man ought to lerne first that seketh sapience to whom he answerd the gouernement of the saule In as moche as she is euerlasting more noble without eny comparison than eny thing that we haue ¶ Than they axed him howe may the saule acquere sapieÌ„ce and he answered as a seke man seketh his fisicien and as a blynde man enquereth of the colours to theym that se hem and it was axed of him howe a saule might se her self and he answered the saule that lakketh sapieÌ„ce can se nothing as the eyen with out light that nether se hem self nor other ¶ And said all manere of thinges haue propertes and the properte of discrecion is to chese wele the good from the euill ¶ And said the lordshippes wonne by study dangiers and peynes and so kept ought wele to contynue prospere And thoos that be lightly wonne kept in Ioye and plesaence comme to a litil prouffit atte last we se coÌ„moneli the townes wherin the inhabitauntes take grete labour be wele maynteyned and encresse with grete richesses and the townes full of pleasaunce delices fal to ruyne distruction ¶ And said hastinesse of speche maketh men to erre And said I merueille howe he þ t men lawde without cause accept it is pleased with all he of whom men say euill without cause is angry with al And said loke that thou be not as the bulter whiche castith the floure kepeth the brenne ¶ And saide men ought not to take the gouernaÌ„ce of the peple to a child to him also that can not knowe the nedis of the poure peple to him that is couetous to him that wil werke withoute de liberacion ne to him that is veÌ„geable And saide ther is no difference bitwix a childe of age a child of maneres as of condicion what age that euer he be of for tbe condicioÌ„s of men aren knowen shewed by dedis not by age ¶ And saide It is nedeful to a man if he wol be good that he be able of him self to knowe trouth do it in dede or ellis that he lerne hit of other for he that of him self can not vnderstande hit nor wil lerne hit can not be good And saide goodenesse is diuided in iij. maneres the first is in the soule the second in the body and the therde in the operacions wherof the moost noble is the goodenesse of the soule for in vsing the vertue therof is fonde knowen the forme in good dedis And said a man findeth sapience and good condicions in long lernyng of veray scieÌ„ce And said ther be many persones that knowen the good werkis do hem not whiche resâ—… blen the seke folkis þ t axe helpe coÌ„seil of the leche do no thiÌ„g ther aftir therfor the bodyes ben without helth the soules without blessidnes And said one may knowe the in ward disposicioÌ„s of a maÌ„ bâ—… his outward operacions And said wele doing is a laudable thiÌ„g neuthelesse it is somwhat harde to do but lightly one may do euil as an aâ—…chier to fai le of the butte is no woÌ„der but to hitte the prike is a greet maistrie said in diuers manere we may be euill but we may not be good but in one wey said default of witte cau seth many harmes maketh many men to fal by ignoraÌ„ce Not knowing what thing to be don or left ¶ And said Aged folkis louen togider and so doo not childeren for olde folkis haue their delectacions like yong folkis in diuers weyes ¶ And said agrete acoÌ„plissing of meÌ„nes feli cite is to be wele frended than a man without felisship can not haue hole felicite ¶ And said euery man hath nede of freÌ„dis whether he staÌ„deth in goode caas or in badde if he staÌ„ deth in euill coÌ„dicion they for to helpe him and yf he staÌ„de in good caas he to make mery and cherysshe them that they may helpe him to resiste inconuenientes that might falle ¶ And said noon hath delectacion in iustice but the iuste man none hath fauour to sapieÌ„ce but the wysemaÌ„ and noon loueth frendeship but the true frende ¶ And said the wikkid men susteyne their perilles by their bodely strength and the good men suffre their parilles paciently by the ver tue of thair saules which pacience cometh not by might of arme nor of hande nor non other meÌ„bre but onely of grace of the saule and therby to resiste ayenst couetise and other grieues of thys world trusting therfore aftir to come to blisse he wrote to kyng alexaÌ„dre in this forme thou ough test to obeye wele the coÌ„mandemeÌ„tes of god for he hath yeue the thy desires and all that thou hast axed of him ¶ And said sapieÌ„ce is lyf ignoraÌ„ce is deth and ther fore he that is sapieÌ„t is a lyue for he vnderstaÌ„deth what he doth he that is ignoraÌ„t is deed for he vnderstaÌ„deth not his doyng And said the aÌ„tiquite of the tyme maketh the werkis olde â–ª bydeth no thiÌ„g but renoÌ„me which resteth in the hertis of þ e successours it is nedeful than to coÌ„qÌ„re good renoÌ„mee therby shal eÌ„dure noblesse said lesing is the sekenesse of the saule whiche can not be heled but by the meane of reason whiche lieth neuer ¶ And saide A moche wyseman is he that pro nounseth not the thinges into the tyme that he is present that wol vnderstande hem ¶ And the best speker is he that speketh not til he is wele purueyed what he shal saye the best werkeman is he that beginneth not his werke into the tyme that he hath wele disputed and auised it in his herte Nether is none that ought to haue so moche thought as the wyseman for it is necessarie to him to be purueyed and certayn of his werkis ¶ And said men are more enclined to couetise than to reason for couetise hath acompaigned them from their childehode reason cometh not to them till that they be of parfyte age ¶ And saide the children hate their maistres whan they teche hem for they knowe not what good may befall them therby but think only the
he said he had a doughter Thenne tâ—… Iuge said Iuged that amariage sholde be made bitwen them and that they sholde haue the tresour by that meane And whan Alexander herde this Iugement he had grete meruayll therof and said thus to the Iuge I trowe that ther is not in al the world so rightwis ne so trewe a Iuge as thou art And the Iuge that knewe him not saide and axed of him whether ony Iuge wold haue don other wyse Ye certaynly said Alexander in many landes Thenne the Iuge hauyng grete meruayll ther of axed of him whether it rayned and the sonne dide shyne in tho landes as though he wold haue sayd that hit was meruayll that god shuld sende ony light or rayne or other good thinges to them that doo not ryght trewe Iustice And therof Alexander had gretter meruaylle than byfore and said that ther were but fewe suche people vpon erthe as they were in that sanâ—…e And as AlexaÌ„der wente out of that lande he passed thâ—…rgh a cite in whiche al the houses of that cyte were of one â—…igh 〈◊〉 byfore the dore of euery hous was a grete pytte or graue in whiche cyte ther was no Iuge wherof he had grete meruaylle And axed of the inhabitantis therin wherfore suche thingis sholde serue The whiche ansuerd him said First for the outrageous height of houses loue Iustice can not be longe in a town a mong the peple And they sai de that the pittes or graues were their owne houses to which they sholde sone go to there dwelle vntil the day of Iugement And as touching that they had no Iuge they said that they made good Iustice of them self wherfore they ne ded no Iuge Thenne Alexander departed from them right wel plesed And a fore his deth he wrote a lettre vnto his moder desiring her to make no sorowe for him ¶ And sone after Alexandre died was put in a Coffre of gold buried in Alexsandre he was born theder with grete reuerence by kynges princes other grete lordes that kept fulfilled his testameÌ„t as he had ordeigned Thenne stert vp one of the grettest lordes of them that kept hym said thus They that neuer wepte for other kynges now ought to wepe for this same And tho that neuer had meruaill of aduersite shold now haue meruail of the deth of this king And he desired the other lordes that they shuld saye somme good thing for to coÌ„forte the peple that was gretli dismaied troubled for the deth of kyng alexandre or for the deth of the worthyest kyng that euer was TheÌ„ne one of them said king alexaÌ„dre was woÌ„t to kepe gold seluer now gold seluer kepe him And he said it by cause of the chest that his body laye in which was of gold And another said alexaÌ„der is depted fro sinnes filthes now his soule is with the good soules which ben purified And another said alexaÌ„der was wonte to chastise alle men and now he is chastysed ¶ And another said the kynges were wonte to drâ—…de him and now the pourest man of all the world dredeth him not ¶ And another said yester day all the erthe suffiseth not to AlexaÌ„der now the lengthe of his body suffiseth him And another sayd AlexaÌ„der might here yesterday no bo dy durst speke ayenst his wille and now euery man may speke he heerith not ¶ And another said the morâ—… that thastate of kyng AlexaÌ„der was grete and more exelleÌ„t the more is thoccasion of his deth greuous pytefull ¶ And a nother said thoo that sawe not yesterday ¶ AlexaÌ„der feâ—…ede him gretely now thoo that see him fereth him not ¶ And ther said AlexaÌ„der was he whoo 's enemyes durst not comâ—… nere him and now his frendes dispreyse and wil not see hym ¶ And whan Alexander began to regne he waâ—… buâ—… xviij yeres of age And he regned xvij yere of the whi che euiployed ix yeres in bataylle and in conquerâ—…ng And. viij yere he restyd hym visiting the groundes and landes that he had conqueryd ¶ And he had victorye vpon xxiiij maner of langages ¶ And in two yeres he sought all thorient and occident And the nombre of his knightes that were comonly of his retenew and at his wages were CCC xiij M. without yomaÌ„rye other men necessarie to his werres ¶ And he deyde in the eage of xxxv yeres and he was of sangweyn colour his face ful of pocâ—…is One of his eyen graye and that other black smale sharp 〈◊〉 vi saged like a ly on ¶ And was of grete strengthe loued moche warres fro his chyldehode vnto his lyues ende And he comanded that the people shold worship god â—…epe hem from synne ¶ And saide the world is not susteyned but comonly by science â–ª And the royames be not directed but by the same alle thinges ben gouerned by reason And saide sapieÌ„ce is messagier of reason ¶ And it byfelle that Alexander passid thurgh a toun wherin vij kynges had regned byfore And he askid yf ony of their kinâ—…ede was alyue And they of the toun said ye a sone of one of the said kinges And alexaÌ„der desired to see him ¶ And the pâ—…ple saide to alexander that he was euer in the chirchyerd And alexander wente to see him axid of him wherfore he a bood so in the chircheyerd why he wold not take vpon him suche astate as his fader had his Auncestris as other men doo Seyng that it was the will of all the peple ¶ And the yong child ansuerd saide O right bounte uous kyng I haue here a thing to do the whiche whan I ha ue don it I shal do thy comandemeut To whom thenne alexander axed what thing it was that he had to do there And he ansuerd I am sechyng the bones of my fader of myn auncestris kynges for to put hem a part froÌ„ the other but I finde hem also semblable that I can not knowe one from the other ¶ Thenne alexander saide to him thou ough test tacquere worship in this world ¶ And If thou haddest good and strong corage thou mightest haue all thy faders goodes and of thy prâ—…decessours alle ther honours To whome the yong child ansuerd saide I haue good her te And alexaÌ„der axed him wherin And he saide by cause that I haue fouÌ„de lyf without deth â—…ougthe without eage xi chesse without poute Ioye without troble helthe without sekenes Certaynly said alexaÌ„der of all these thiÌ„ges haue I none Thenne sayd the childe yf ye wil haue hem axe hem of him that hath hem and he may yeue hem and none other Thenne Alexander said that he had neuer seen man of so grete discrecion ¶ Alexander vsed euery day to be in a cer tayn place for to here the complayntes of euery body And it was so that vpon a day onely
other poure And the fader yaf the doughter to the poure man wherfore AlexaÌ„der axid of him why he did so And he saide by cause the riche is ignorant like to become a poure man and the poure is wyse able to become a riche man ¶ Alexander axid of a wyse philosophre by what mene the royames were wel direâ—… tid holden in goode astate And he ansuerd by obeyssauÌ„ ce of the peple the Iustice of the kyng ¶ And as AlexaÌ„ der foughte ones in bataille many women cam in the same bataill ayenst him theÌ„ue he withdrawe him hastely said to his men if we sholde haue victory of this bataill where thise women ben it were no worship to vs if they had the victorie theÌ„ne it were to vs a ppetuel shame wherfore we shal not fighte ayenst them whyle the womeÌ„ ben ther And saide it is a perillous thing a man tabide so long in the see that the storme teÌ„pest come vpon him that may well depâ—…e during the faire weder In like wyse it is of them that dwel in princes kinges houses ¶ And saide it is a foule thing to a man to haue grete wordes without effecte it is a fay re thiÌ„g to him that put his werkis bifore his wordes And said the grettest most laudable liberte that is to a man is to kepe him from couetise And whan his fader coÌ„manded him that he sholde gladly here the coÌ„maundementis of his maistre he saide he wold not onely here them but he wold fulfille them with glad herte to his pouere And said It is worse a man to haue defaute of discrecion theÌ„ne of richesses THolome was a right wyseman we le vnderstaÌ„den in especial in iiij scieÌ„cis that is to witte Geometrie musike arismetrik astrologie he mad many good bokis a mong the which one is callid Almageste the which is of Astrologie he was borne in ¶ Alexandrie the greteste cyte that is in the land of Egipte ther he made his consideracions in the tyme of kyng Adryan and made his dictions vpon the consideracions at Roodes he was not kyng all be it that many personnes calleth hym kyng And he lyued lxx viij yeres ¶ And said he is wyse that disposith his tonge to speke of god and he that knoweth hym not is the moost foole of alle ¶ And said he that is enclyned to his wille is nyghe to the Ire of god and the nerer that a man approucheth the deth the more he ought to laboure and traueyll to do we le ¶ And said Sapience abydeth no lenger in the hert of a foole than a fleyng thing that may not tarye in thaier ¶ And sayd good wytte and good discrecion ben fellawes ¶ And sayd A man of good sapience can not dye ne a man of good vnderstandyng can neuer be pouer ¶ And said Sapience is atre that wexeth grene in the hert and fructifieth in the tonge ¶ And said Beware that thou dispute not with hym that hath no knowlege ne yeue not thy conseyl but to him that askith it ne telle not thy secret but to hym that can kepe it And said he that wol lyue wele ought not to kepe in his hert all his aduersitees And said the mays tre of a grete house hath many melaÌ„colyes And said speke wysely aswele for thy self as for all other And said yf thou mayst not eschewe soÌ„tyme to be wroth atte lest lette not thy wrath last louâ—… ¶ And said the hertis of good peple ben the castell forterescis of secretes And said a man that is not to be correctid by other meÌ„ may surly correcte them of their faultes And said he that askid coÌ„seil of the wysemaÌ„ and doth ther aftir whether it turneth him to good or to euill he ought not to be blamed therof â–ª ¶ And saide It is bettir a kyng to directe his peple than to haue grete habondaunce of knyghtis ¶ And sayde Surete putteth a weye sorowe â–ª and fere empescheth gladnes ¶ And saide The wordis of god auayleth not to them that haue put al their hert to the worlde ¶ And said It is to grete folie a man to thinke to moche on the thinges that passith his vnderstanding ¶ And sayde men been of two natures som wolle neuer be content howe be it that they finde ynough som other seke and finde nothing ¶ And said men cause tacquere geete money And money is the cause tacquere men ¶ And saide He of the whiche the Science excedith his witte may be likened to a feble shepherd that hath a grete heep of sheep in his kepyng ¶ And saide he that hath put al his entente to his flessly delites is more boÌ„de than a keytif â–ª And said the hygher that a man is exaltid in his lordship the more greuous it shal be to him to fall from the same And said thought is the key of certaynete And saide the reffuses of a nygard ben bettir than the largesces of a prodygall waster ¶ And saide thou canst do nothing so acceptable to god as to do wele to him that hath offensed ayenst the ¶ And saide if thou wol be wyse be not in feliship wyth foolis but be euer in feliship with them that ben wyser than thy self â–ª ¶ And saide the soule can not be decey ued into the tyme that the body taketh his ende And said ¶ Folye is the gretteste ennemy that ony body may haue And said Good will is the fondement of alle good werkes good werkis is the messagier in the other world And said he that kepith the good opynion and leueth the euill yeueth grete reste to his herte ¶ And said Sekenesse is the prison of the body and saluacion of the soule ASsaron sayd that a kyng in his kyngdom may be doÌ„maged and hurte and specially by fyue thinges the first is by to grete drienesse as to be iij. yere without Rayn the seconde is by expending more than his lyuelode cometh to the therde is to vse to moche wooÌ„men wyne huntyng the fourthe is to be of euill maneres of wicked condicions also to be to cruel vengeable the fyfte is to haue many ennemyes ¶ And said the moost notable maneris condicions the moost prouffyta ble is to be liberal and true of his worde ¶ And said he that is liberal may not lyue amys the true speker may not be shamed of his speking the meke lo wly man can not be hated the sobre man can not be seke he that we le dyli gently vnderstondith to his bysenesse may neuer repente therof bringeth hym to good perfection And said a king or a prince ought not to truste them that disprayse hym in him that is couetous in him that is com from grete pouertie to grete richesses in him from the whiche he hath taken the goodes and lordshippes in him that hath
and workis of hys ennemyes thenâ—…ent wyll and dedis of his subgettys he shal not be long in surete in hys Royame ¶ And said Sedechias the people is fortunat and happy that haue a goode and a vertuous kyng or prince discrete ande wyse in scyences ¶ And mykyl ar the peple infortunat whan eny of thyes thynges lak in their kyng or prynce ¶ And saide Sedechias yf a kyng or a prynce for slouthe or leue to do eny of the litil thynges that hym ought and is ordeygned he shulde execute lightly after he leueth greter vndon and soo consequently he may lese alle ryght as a litill sekenesse or hurt withoute it be sone and wele remedied may cause the dystruction of allâ—… the hole body ¶ And saide Sedechias yf a kyng or a prynce byleue the fayre wordes ande flate â—…yngis of hys ennemyes hauyng no Respect to their wer â—…ys it is meruaylle but the sayd kyng or prynce therby sodaynly take harme ¶ And said Sedechias It apparteygneth to a kyng or a prynce to enfourme hys sone in vertue and science and howe he shall gouuerne hys lande aftir him howe he shulde be rightwys to his people howe he sholde loue and haunte hys knyghtes not sufferyng them to vse to mykel hunting is nor other Idelnesses but instructe hem to haue goode eloquence and to eschewe alle vanitees ¶ And sayd Sedechias It apparteyneth to a kyng or a prince yf he wol haue eny nygh seruaunt first to knowe hys guydyng and condicions and howe he gouuerneth hym silf in hys house and amongis hys fellawes and yf he vnderstande hym of goode condicion and gouuernaunce hauyng pacience in his aduersite reteyne and take hym than hardely ¶ And ellis to beware of hym ¶ And sayd Sedechias yf thou haue a verry true frende that loueth the wele thou ought to take hym more in thy loue and fauour than eny of thy kennesmen desiryng thy deth for to haue the succession of thy goodys ¶ And sayd Sedechias commonely euery resemblance delyteth other ¶ And said Sedechias he that will not be chastysed by fayre and swete wordes ought to be cor rected by sharp and harde corrections And sayd Sedechi as the grettest richesse is satisfaccion of the herte And said he is not riche to whom richesse lasteth not ne whan they may be lightly taken awaye But the best richesse is that thing that dureh perpetuelly ¶ And said Sedechias the obeissaunce don by loue is more ferme than that that is don by myght or drede ¶ And said that experyence is a goode chastisement ¶ And sayd the lokyng vpon the ende of the worke yf it be good yeueth hope to the begynnyng ¶ And saide that goode renoÌ„mee and fame is right prof fitable in this worlde the dedes therof auaileth in the other worlde ¶ And saide it is better a man to holde his peas than to speke myâ—…he to eny ignorant manÌ„ and to be a lone than to be a coÌ„payned with euill people ¶ And saide whan a kyng or a prince is euill tacched and vicioux better is to thaim that hath noo knowlege of hym than to thoos that be grettest maisters in his house ¶ And saide better is a womanÌ„ to be bareynÌ„ than to bere an euill disposid or a wikked childe ¶ And saide the comÌ„panie of a pour wiese man is bettir than of a riche ignorant that weneth to br wyse by subtilitee ¶ And saide he that offendeth god his creator by gretter reason he faileth to other ¶ And saide bileue not in hym that seith he loueth and knoweth trowth and doth the contrarye ¶ And saide the ignorante men wol not abstynÌ„ them from their sensualitees but loue their lâ—…f for thair pleasaunces what defence so euer be made vnto tâ—…m right as childrenÌ„ enforce them self to ete swete thin ges and the rather that they be charged the contrarie but it is other wiese with wiesemenÌ„ fâ—…r they loue their liues but onely to do goode dedis and to leue Idelnesse the delecta conÌ„s of this worlde ¶ And saide howe may be coÌ„pared the werkes of theim that entende the ê‘fection of the goode thinges perpetuel to thaim that wol but their delites traÌ„sytory ¶ And saide that the wiese men bere their greues sorowes as they were swete vnto them knowing their trouble pacieÌ„t ly taken the ende therof shal be to their merite ¶ And saide þ t it is ê“ufitable good to do wele to them that haue deserued it And that it is euille doon to doo wele to thaym that haue nat deserued it for al is lost that is yeue vnto them right as the reyne that falleth vpon the grauel ¶ And said he is happy that vsith his dayes in doyng couenable thinges and takith in this worlde but that that is necessarie vnto hym and may not forbere Applying him self to do good dedis to leue the badde ¶ And sayd a man ought nat to be demed by his wordes but by his workis for comenly wordes ben vayne but by the dedes is knowen the harme or the prouf fit of euery thing ¶ And said whan that almes is distribute to pouer indigent peple it proffiteth as a good medicine couenably yeuen to them that be seke but the almes yeueÌ„ to the not indigeÌ„t is a medicine yeueÌ„ without cause And said he is happy that withdraweth his ere his eye from alle vyle thinges ¶ And said the moost couenable dispen ce that eny man may make in his lyf is hit that is sette in the seruice of god in good workis And the second is that is speÌ„ded in necessarie thiÌ„ges that may not be forborne as mete drinke clothing for remedies ayenst sikenesse the worste of all is that is dispended in syn euil werkis HErmes was borne in egypte and is as mykyl to say ther as mercuri in ebreu as Enok which was sone to Iareth the sone of Matusale the sone of Malaleel the sone of Caynan the sone of Enoes sone of Seth sone to Adam And to fore the grete flode called Noes flode After that was ther another litil flode whiche drowned but the contre of Egypte onely afore the whiche the said Hermes departed thens and went through alle landes tyl he was four soore yere olde and. ij And wyth him hadde lxxij personnes of diuers tonges whiche alweye stered and exhorted the people to obeye our lord edified Cvm. to wues whiche he fulfilled with sciences And was the first that fonde the science of scoles establisshed to the people of euery clymat lawes couenable and apparteignyng to thair opinions to the whiche hermes the kyngis in thoo dayes yaf grete audience and obeissaunce in all thair landes so did ab thenhahitantis of the. Isles of the see he constreyned them to kepe the lawe of god in saing trouthe to dispise the worlde to kepe Iustice to wynne the saluaconÌ„ in the other worlde he comÌ„aunded orisons praiers to be saide and to faste euery
wyke ooÌ„n day to destroye the ennemiyes of þ e lawe to yeue almes to the pour goddis people that is to say to the feble and Impotent he comÌ„aunded that porke flesshe and camelys sholdâ—… be etenÌ„ and suche semblable me tes and comÌ„aunded them expressely that they shulde kepe them fro pariury he stablisshed many festis at certain seasons â–ª and ordeigned also diuers persones to offre sacrifices at the rising of the sonne and som other at the first newe moone and at the coniunction of the planettes also whan the planetes entre in to their houses and whan they asceÌ„ded and whan they discended The sacrifices were of many thinges that is to say of roses of flours of greynes of whete of barley of frutes of grapes of licours of wynes And the same hermes saide that it was noo Recompense sufficient to thanke god onely for the grace he hath sent vs ¶ And saide O thou man yf thou dredest god wele thou shuldest neuer falle in to the patthes that bringeth man to harme ¶ And saide make not your clamours to god as Ignorauntes ful of corrupt â–ª wil fulnesse and be not inobedient vnto oure lorde god nor trespassours to his lawe And wil noon of you do to your felowe otherwyse than ye wolde be don to but by concordauÌ„t and loue to gyders vse fastyngis and orisons in pure clene willes constreyne you to do goode dedes humbly and withoute pryde in suche manere as of your werkes may growe good fruytes and kepe you oute of the companyes of theues of fornycatours and of thoos that vse euâ—…lle werkis ¶ And said kepe you that ye be not 〈◊〉 and let trouth be alwey in your mouthe and swere not but ye and nay enforce you not to cause them swere that ye knowe wille lye lest ye be parteners to theyr pariury put your trust in god that knoweth alle seccetes and he shal Iuge you in equite at the grete day of IugemeÌ„t when he shall yeue remuneracions to the good for theyr goodeâ—… nesse and punysshe the euyll for theyr wykkydnesse And sayde ye be certayn that the redemptour our lord is the gret teste sapience and the gretteste dilectacion that one ought to haue of whom alle goodenesse cometh and by whom alle the yatis of witte vnderstanding ben opened â–ª ¶ And god that hath loued his seruaÌ„tis hath yeuen them discrecion hath establisshed prophetes propheciers ministres fulfilled with the holy goost by the whiche he hath manyfestely shewed vnto them the secretis of the lawe the trouth of the sapience to enteÌ„te that they shuld escheue al errours applye them to alle good dedis And said vse sapience folowe the lawes be mercyfulle â–ª and garnisshe you wyth goode doctrines think loke wel vpon your weâ—…kis wythout hasting you to mykyll in especiaal whan ye shal punissh nnsdoers and yf ye vse eny manere of thinge likly to synÌ„e be not shamefaste to with drawe you therfro and to take penaunce for the same for to yeue other exemple for yf it be not punisshed in this worlde it shal be at the greete day of Iugement and suche shal be tourmented with grete peines whitoute ony pyte taken vpon them ¶ And saide correcte you by your self and folowe the wiese men lernyng of hem good vertues lette all your desire be to wynne good renoÌ„mee and fame employe not your tyme and your mynde in â—â—â—â—hede nor in malice ¶ And saide loke ye sette noo vayâ—â—â— to the noysaunce of eny body nor that ye seke th aire hurtes by cautesses or sotiltees For suche workes wol not be hid but at the last thâ—y wol apoere ¶ And saide conâ—â—â—eyne you to annexe the loue of god and of your feith vnto sapience and yf ye do so all your lyf it shal be to you a grete a prouffitable wynnyng of that noble vertue shal come vnto you greter benefices than yf ye sholde asseÌ„ble grete golde and siluer or other tresours not durable for it shal be to you a grete richesse in the other world that neuer shal haue ende ¶ And saide be al one within and withoute in that ye shal speke be wâ—re that your wordes be not contrary to the thoughtes of your hert ¶ And saide huÌ„ble and obeye your self to your kyng and your princes and worship the grete ministres vnder them loue god trouth yeue true counsaile to that entent ye may the more hoolly with your good penanÌ„ce be in the waye of saluacioÌ„ And saide yelde louiÌ„g vnto your lord as wele in your tribulacion as in ê“sperite in your pouerte as wele as in your richesse And sayd ye shal bere hens non other thingis but your werkis and therfore be ware that ye Iuge not vniustly and desire rather to haue pouerte in doing good dedes than richesse in synÌ„ for richesse may soon be lost and good dedis shal euer abyde And sayd be ware of to mykyll laughing and mokkyng eny persone al be it ye perceyue in him eny foule or euyll tache yet rebuke them not dishonestly but thinke that god hath made you all of one matere might haue made you as euil as he wherfore ye ought to thanke his goodenesse that hath shewed you suche grace hath kept you from myschef in the tymes past and present ¶ And pray him of his mercy he wol so kepe you forthe And said if it fortune that the eÌ„nemyes of our feith wil dispute with you by diuerse sharp seyngyes ansuere them in swetenesse in humylite prayng god to be of you counseile that he will addresse all his creatures to the goode feith for theyr perpetuel saluacion ¶ And saide be silent in counseil and be wel ware what ye speke afoâ—… your eÌ„nemâ—… lest â—…e resem ble him that seketh a 〈◊〉 to be bâ—…tyn wiâ—…h all And saiâ—… ye may not be Iuste withouâ—…e the drede of our lord god bâ—… whiche ye atteyne 〈◊〉 of the holy gost that shal oâ—…n â—…ou the gates of paradis wherin you souleâ—…â—…hal eÌ„â—…e with thâ—…s that haue deserued euerlastiÌ„g lyf and said eschewe 〈◊〉 coÌ„pa ny of thoos that loueth you not of 〈◊〉 peple of 〈◊〉 mâ—… of ignorauÌ„tâ—… And whan â—…e 〈◊〉 eny good thought eâ—…e cuâ—…e it ye may incoÌ„tineÌ„t leste ye 〈◊〉 set or withdrawâ—…n ther fro by eny 〈◊〉 or euil 〈◊〉 And said haue no enuie though thou se eny prosperice come to an euil man for hyâ—… ende shal not be goode ¶ And said â–ª make your children lerne goode in their youthe or they falle to malice and so ye shal not synne in them ¶ And saide worship and pray to our lorde with a clene wil adresse al your desirs to him and he shal helpe enhance you what part so euer ye go subdewe your ennemyes vnder you ¶ And saide whan ye wil faste make first clene your saules of al filthe that your fastiÌ„g may comÌ„ of pure