sklaunderous euyll counsayle of the Wolfe lyghted vpon hys owne pate Let all counsaylours beare thys exemple wel in mynde Yf they be nothing moued wyth fables Let them at ☞ lest be admonyshed wyth the history of Aman in the boke of Hester whych is in the Byble Suum cuique pulchrum Euery man thynketh hys owne thynge fayre Mans mynde is so infected with the blynde loue of it selfe that thou shalte fynde no mā so sobre so ware so lokynge about hym but in estemynge hys owne thynges dooteth Patriae fumus igni alieno luculencior The smoke of a mans owne countrey is much clearer than the fyer in a straunge countrey The countrey wherin we be borne pleaseth naturally euerye man beste and he longeth continuallye to se it yea be hys owne countre neuer so vnkynde vnto hym lette hys owne countreymen banyshe hym exclude hym thurst him out neuer so spytefully yet he can not so harden hys herte but he must nedes loue it desyre to heare of it be glad to be at one with it agayne Which thyng thexemples of most renoumed personnes haue wel declared Frons occipitio prior The forehed is afore the hynder parte of the heed As who shulde saye the thynge a man seeth done afore hys face in hys owne presence is for most part better done than y t is done behynde his backe A certayne man as Aristole telleth was asked what thynge best fedeth a horse he answereth y e maysters eye Hytherto pertayneth also the storye that Gelly telleth A certayne man well fedde had a very leane horse Now whā he was asked what was the cause that his horse was so leane He answered y t thys oughte not to seme any maruayle at all yf he were in better lykynge than hys horse for asmuch as he hym selfe fedde him selfe but hys seruaunte fedde hys horse These thynges tende all to thys ende that euery man shulde as muche as maye be execute hys busynes hys callynge hys office by hym selfe and not by vycares or deputies as nowe we se done well nere of all degrees of men There be Kynges there be Cardinalles there be Bishops Prelates and sondry other officers and magistrates in Christendome whych do all by vycares and deputies but them selues lyue in most ydelnes and in all kyndes of pleasure lyke popes Wold god these wold take exemple of our most vigilāt prince and soueraygne lord kinge Hēry the eyght who not only setteth ☞ vigilant deputies and ministers vnder hym but also loketh hym selfe ryght busely vpon hys charge cōmitted vnto him of god Aequalis aequalem delectat Lyke delyteth the lyke Lykenes of maners egaltie of age similitude in all thynges wonderfullye knytteth persons togyther gendreth frendshyp We se yonge persons kepe companye wyth yonge persons aged wyth the aged we se lerned men resorte to lerned vnthryftes do gather togyther wyth vnthryftes and good fellowes wyth suche as be good fellowes and so forth Simile gaudet simili The lyke delyteth in the lyke Similitude as Aristotle sayth is mother of loue Wherfore where a ful lykenes in al poyntes is betwene persons there no doubt is moste vehement and ardent loue Semper similem ducit Deus ad similem God alwaye draweth the lyke to the lyke Semper graculus assidet graculo Alwaye the Iay sytteth wyth the Iay. These prouerbes be of one sence and meanynge Figulus figulo inuidet faber fabro The potter enuyeth the potter y e smythe y e smythe Assuredly where men exercise one science there comonly the lykenes of the science doth rather gender hart brēnyng then it dothe loue or beneuolence Cretensis Cretensem One false merchaunte deceyueth an other The men of Crete were in olde tyme moche reproued for theyr falshode and deceite Cretiza cum Cretensi Practyse craft wyth y e craftie Of the vanitie and dissimulation of y e Cretians thapostle Paule also speketh Thys prouerbe byddeth vs otherwhiles to dissemble wyth dissemblers namelye where singilnes woll take no place Principium dimidium totius The begynnynge is halfe y e hole There be many greate dilaiers Long they be ere they can be persuaded to set vpon an honest acte so many peryls they cast To morowe to morowe they saye we wol begyn but thys to morow is euer commynge but neuer present Wherfore who so wyth good courage ventureth vpon his maters hath already halfe done Satius est initijs mederi q̄ fini Better it is to remedy the begynnynges then the endes Stoppe a disease sayeth the poete Ouide whyle it is in the commynge Medicine is sought for to late whan by longe continuaūce of tyme the disease catcheth ones strength Audaces fortuna iuuat Fortune helpeth men of good courage He that feareth that his matters shall not haue good successe shall neuer brynge hys maters to passe Fratrum inter se irae sunt acerbissimae The discorde of brethren betwene themselues is moost bytter Thys to be true we haue many exēples out of hystories of Caym Abel of Rhomulus and Remus of Iacob and Esau of infinite other Taurum tollet qui uitulum sustulerit He that hath borne a calfe shal also beare a bull he that accustometh hym selfe to lytle thynges by lytle lytle shal be hable to go away wyth greater thynges One named Milo was wont euery day to beare a certayne waye on hys shoulders a calfe At length the calfe grew to a great oxe his dayly exercyse made hym styl able to beare y e oxe whē the oxe was now of an excedynge great quantitie ye se what maystries vse worketh Viuorum oportet meminisse We ought to remēber the lyuyng There be many that loue to talke of deade men yea and wyth deade men as much as in them lyeth And yf they go aboute to extende theyr lyberalitie to do any good dedes they hadde leuer lashe oute theyr wycked Mammon on the deade than on the quycke So lyttel regard they haue to the lyuely ymages of God whom god neuer theles so tēdereth that what so euer we bestowe vpon them he coūteth bestowed euen vpō hymselfe Mature fias senex si diu uelis esse senex Become an olde man betyme yf thou wylt be an olde man longe By thys we be monyshed that whyle we be stronge and lusty we cease from ouer moche labours also from suche riottes daliaūce surfettyng as commonly youth desyreth For who so contynueth in them shall fall into age that is to say into weaknes of nature or euer he be ware Wherfore yf he entende to lyue longe and to lyue manye wynters an olde man let hym forsake the fonde ragies of youth by tymes Oportet remum ducere qui didicit He oughte to holde y e oore y t hathe lerned it That is to saye Euery man muste practyse that science facultie y t hath ben afore taughte him Let not the shomaker medle further then hys shoes Lette the ploughm an talke of his plough Ex
be iudged of many other thynges not sayth he y t I condemne y e christen mens holydayes but that I wold not haue them thus increase into such innumerable a nombre and that I wold wysh rather that those fewe holydayes whyche the authoritie of the auncient fathers haue ordined mought be coÌ„uerted to that vse wherunto they were fyrst inuented For wyth true christeÌ„ folke euery day to say y e trouth is the Sabboth daye and is feastfull But agayne to euyll disposed persons and vnthryftes the verye feastfull and holy dayes be lesse feastfull then be y e workyng dayes Nytherto haue I translated y e wordes of that renowmed clerke Erasmus But now in Englande thanked be god through the hygh bene fyte of oure incomparable prince Henry the. viij dyuerse superfluouse holydayes be already abrogate Neyther do we tary the bysshop of Romes redresse in maters of religion which as it semeth forceth no more of Christes church ouer whych neuertheles he pretendeth to haue y e charge theÌ„ the hyre lynge passeth vpon the flocke of shepe as Christ hymselfe declareth Vino vendibili suspensa hedera nihil opus Wyne that is saleable and good nedeth no bushe or garland of yuye to be hanged before Lyke as men woll seke oute good wyne though there be no sygne at all to directe and appoynte them where it is to be solde so all good thynges nede no commendation of any outward badge or tokeÌ„ Good merchaundyse and also pure and substaÌ„ciall thynges of what kynd so euer they be do prayse them selues Timidi nunquam statueruÌ„t trophÄ™uÌ„ Cowardes yet neuer wanne a fylde or neuer had y e victorie In olde tyme they that had gotten y e victorie in batel were wonte to erecte and set vp some great stone pyller or other thyng for a sygne of victorie which marke they called Trophaeum Nowe such as be cowardes and which cast manye perylles and doubtes shall neuer come to this glorie forasmoch as such excedyng renowne and glorie can not happen without great perylles and daungers And as it is to be thought of the euentes and chaunces in warres so it is of al other valyaunte and hardye enterpryses Ne quaere mollia ne tibi contingant duria Seke not softe thynges lest hard thynges happen vnto the. It is commonlye sene that they which vnmeasurably seke pleasures do fall ere they be ware into bytter and harde greuaunces Pluris est oculatus testis vnus quam auriti decem One eye wytnesse is of more value then tenne eare wytnesses y t is to saye Farre more credite is to be gyuen to suche as reaporte the thynge they sawe wyth theyr eyes thaÌ„ to such as speake but by heare saye Multitudo imparatorum Cariam perdidit The multitude of rulers destroyed the couÌ„trey of Caria This couÌ„trey was sumtyme a very floryshynge realme and by the discorde dissention of the citizens amonges theÌ„ selues whyle euery maÌ„ stroue to be a lord it was brought at last to a thyng of naughte Wherefore this prouerbe aduertiseth vs that nothynge is more noysome nor more pestiferous to a coÌ„moÌ„ weale then the ouermoche libertye of a multitude where no man chieflye is obeyed but euery man doth as him lusteth This vnleful libertie or licence of the multitude is called an Anarchie A mischief surely in maner worse theÌ„ any TyraÌ„nye Coeno puram aquam turbans nunquam inuenies potum If thou trouble the pure water wyth the myer thou shalte neuer fynd drynke This prouerbe is wont to be sayde when the thynges which of themselues be verye good a man marreth w t the medley of thynges that be naughte As yf a man wolde depraue the most excelleÌ„t facultie of Diuinitie wyth hereticall opinions or wyth fylthynes of wordes or fynallye wyth any prophane and straunge doctrines Sustine abstine Susteyne and absteyne Thys sentence is worthye to be wrytten vpon all dores postes walles yea and in euery corner where so euer a man casteth his eye The author of it is Epictetus a noble Philosopher by whych two wordê he hath comprised all that perteyne to the felicitie of maÌ„s lyfe and that that other philosophers coulde skarse declare in so many great volumes hath he declared by these two wordes susteyne and absteyne By the fyrst worde we be taught strongly to beare aduersitie by the secoÌ„de to absteyne from all vnlefull pleasures and pastymes Naturam expellas furca tameÌ„ vsque recurret Thurst out nature wyth a croche yet woll she styll runne backe agayne It is an harde thinge doutles to stryue against nature A croked bough of a tree be it neuer so much dryuen an other waye wyth a forke or crotch yet yf thou ones take awaye the forke anone it returneth to y e owne nature course agayne So in lyke wyse yf man contrary to hys nature and bryngynge vp take vpon hym an other person ether for fear or for shame or for some other cause let an occasion be offered and anone he returneth to his owne maners nature Yf he hope that he shall not be espyed sayeth Terence agayne he commeth to hys owne disposicion and inclination as he that feareth to commytte offences not for any loue he hath to vertue but for fear of the staffe or sworde take me away the staffe or sworde and forth wyth ye shal se hym returne to his olde kynde For assuredlye theyr kinde and natural inclinacion sayeth Pindarus can nether the craftye foxe neyther the wylde Lyon chaunge For tame thou neuer so much the lyon he wol styll returne to hys natiue fyernes neyther wol the foxe by any meanes forget her naturall wylynes be she neuer so muche mekened and made tame Ouium nullus vsus si pastor absit There is no goodnes of shepe yf the shepherde be awaye Seruauntes do nothynge wel where y e mayster is absente Scholers do no good when the teacher is gone That commonaltie is nothynge worth y t is not gouerned by thauthoritie of a prince In suÌ„ma wher is an anarchie and no monarchie I meane where one hedde ruler is not but euery maÌ„ as a lorde doth what hym lusteth there is nothynge well done Parit puella etiam si male adsit viro A yonge woman or wenche bryngeth lyghtlye forth chyldren although she be not halfe well knowen of man The cause hereof is that youth is moche more redy to conceyue then age Semblably a fyne wytte y t is redye to take anye thynge is taught anone thoughe he hath but an euyll maister And so of all other thynges Non decet principem solidam dormire noctem It is not semynge for a capitayne or ruler to slepe all the hole nyght Thys prouerbe monysheth that vigilancie and busye reuoluynge of mynde doth moost of all become capitaynes princes magistrates rulers whyche susteyne so greate a burthen of busynesses vpon theyr shoulders Foelix qui nihil debet Happye is he that oweth nothynge Thys prouerbe he
to the people so hys fame and brute for hys excellency in thys behalfe dyd not a lytel florysh aboue the rest Wherfore whan dyuerse other for gaines sake studied to counterfayte the same and to represente the gruntynge of the sow as dyd Parmeno anone y e people were wonte to crye Well done but nothyng to Parmenos sow Now a certayne wytty felowe espyenge that the iudgement of the people proceded rather of ymaginacion thā of trouth and caryenge vnder hys clothes a very pygge indede hyd himself frō y e peoples syght as y e maner was Forthwith y e pygge cryeth The people thynkyng it to be but a counterfayt voyce began accordyng to theyr maner to crye Tush what is thys to Parmenos pygge Here the felowe bryngyng forth out of hys clothes the verye pygge indede and openly shewynge it to them all dasheth theyr foolysh iudgemēt Assuredly suche a fonde beast is the people that y e thynge y t they ones take into theyr heades be the contrary neuer so apparant they styffely vpholde Amicorum omnia sunt communia Amonges frendes al thynges be cōmune The authour of thys prouerbe is Pythagoras an auncient Philosopher Neither dyd he only speak it but also brought in such a certayne cōmunion of lyfe and goodes as Christ wolde haue vsed amonges al Christians For as manye as were admitted of him into the felowship and company of his doctrine al the mony substaunce they had they layd it togither which thyng not only in worde but also indede was called coenobiū Certes this cōmunion of those Hethen Pythagoriās resēbled moche better that ☞ communiō vsed in the primatiue churche amonges the Apostles than doth either our Monkry at this day or the wycked Anabaptistical secte whiche woll haue no Rulers no order but whiche go aboute to disturbe the hole world with horrible confusion Amicitia aequalitas Amicus alter ipse Frendship sayth pythagors is equalitie al one mynde or wyll and my frende is as who shuld say an other I. He pronounced also many Enygmata or Symboles of whych I intēd of some to make here a brief rehersall SYMBOLA ALIQVOT Pythagorae Ne gustaris quibus nigra est cauda Taste not sayd Pythagoras of thynges that haue blacke tayles that is to say medle not w t naughtye felowes such as haue blacke and diffamed maners Stateram ne transgrediaris Ouergo not the beame or balaunce That is to say do nothyng besyde ryght and equitie Coenici ne insides Syt not vpon the measure Erasmus thynketh that by thys darke sentēce is meant we shuld not lyue vpon y e measure or dyete gyuē vs at other mēs handes but that euery man by hys owne industrie and labour ought to seke hym goodes where by he maye leade a cleane honest lyfe and not by slouthfulnes to haunte ydelnes and other mēs meate For it is the fascion of a flatterer and parasyte to lyue of an other mans trencher to haue no honeste facultie where by thou mayest lyue of thyne owne Ne cuiuis porrigas dexteram Holde not forth thy hande to euery man He meaneth we shuld not vnaduysedly admyt euery bodye into our frendshyp and familiaritie Arctum anulum ne gestato Weare no streyght rynge As who shulde saye caue not thy selfe into bondage or into suche a kynde of lyfe from whence thou cannest not afterwarde wynde out thy selfe For who so euer weareth on hys fynger a narow streyght rynge in maner layeth bandes on hym selfe and imprisoneth hym selfe Ignem gladio ne fo dito Dygge not fyer wyth a swerd Here Pythagoras meaneth as Plato expouneth y t we shulde not laboure in vayne to go aboute the thinge y t in no wyse cā be brought to passe Cor ne edito Eate not thy harte that is to saye consume not thy selfe wyth cares and thoughtes of worldlye thynges for that eateth knaweth a mans herte A fabis abstineto Absteyne from beanes There be sondry interpretacions of thys symbole But Plutarche and Cicero thynke beanes to be forbyddē of Pythagoras bycause they be wyndye and do engender impure humours and for that cause prouoke bodely lust Cibum in matellam ne immittas Put not meate into a pyspot Plutarche expouneth thys sayng thus Cast not good sentencies into the mynde of a wycked person So that it is al one in effecte with that sayenge of Christ. Cast not perles afore swyne For spech is y e meate of the mynde But thys meat is corrupted and doth putrify yf it fal into an vnsoūde minde Vnto thys loked y e Poete Horace where he sayeth Onles the vessell be pure what so euer thou powreste into it it waxeth sowre Ad finem vbi perueneris ne velis reuerti When thou comest to the ende turne not backe agayne He monysheth vs that when oure tyme is come and when we haue runne our course so that we muste nowe departe thys wretched world we then drawe not backe agayne desyrouse to begyne our lyfe a new Tollenti onus auxiliare deponenti nequaquam Helpe the taker of a burthen but not the layer down As who shuld saye Further suche as laboure to atteyne to vertue but suche as be slowthfull and laye downe all honest labours helpe not Per publicam viam ne ambules Walke not by y e highe weye That is to say as S. Hierom expouneth it Folowe not the errours of the people For it is not possible that those thynges whiche be beste can please y e most part of folke Thys precepte of Pythagoras is not moche disagreyng from the Euāgelical doctrine of Christe whiche monysheth vs to flee the broade wyde wey that the moste parte of men walke in to entre into the narowe and streight wey which is litle beaten but leadeth to immortalitie and lyef euerlastinge Aduersus solem ne loquitor Speke not ayenste the son that is to saye Stryue not agaynste manifeste and euidente thynges For the thyng that is apparant and whiche no man denyeth we cal as cleare as the sonne Hirundines sub eodem tecto ne habeas Kepe no swalowes vnder the same roufe of thy house That is Brynge not vp neyther kepe thou company with such as in thy prosperite seke thy frēdship but in aduersitie or when they haue their desyre forsake the. The swalowes properte is in the spring tyme of the yeare to repare to a mans house and vnder his roufe to nestle but so sone as she ones hathe brought vp her yonge when it is towardes wynter anone she forsaketh his company without anye thankesgyuyng or good turne doynge for harbroughynge and lodgynge of her Such vnkynde byrdes or rather beastes there be not a few in y e world whych neuertheles tyll they haue obteined theyr praye y t they hunt for pretende to bear most hartie entier loue vnto the. But the ende declareth all Panem ne frangito Breake not bread Here he admonysheth vs sayeth Erasmus that we
all one as if he were not there him selfe Amans iratus multa mentitur sibi A louer when he is angry maketh many lyes to him selfe The angrye louer purposeth muche in his mynd which he performeth not afterward Auarus ipse miseriae causa est suae The couetouse person is cause of his owne miserie For willingly and wittyngly he is coÌ„tinually nedy and filthy Forasmuch as he is afrayd to spende one halfe peny vpoÌ„ him selfe AmaÌ„s quid cupiat scit quid sapiat non videt The louer knoweth what to couet but seeth not what to be wyse in He coueteth wtout iudgement not weyeng whether the thyng be profitable or hurtefull which he so coueteth Amans quod suspicatur vigilans somniat The louer dreameth the thing y t he suspecteth waking Louers coÌ„monly fayne to them selues dreames and with vayne hope flatter themselues Ad calamitateÌ„quilibet rumor valet Euery rumour serueth vnto calamitie that is to say sad and heuy tydynges be easly blowen abroade be they neuer so vaine and false and they be also sone beleued But suche thynges as be good ryght and honest are hardly beleued Amor extorqueri haud potest elabi potest Loue can not be wroung out but fall away it may Suche a vehemeÌ„t thyng is loue that sodenly and perforce thou canst not expelle it but by lytle and lytle it may slyde awaye Ab amante lachrymis redimas iracundiam With teares mayste thou redeme angre froÌ„ the louer If thy louer be neuer so angry with the wepe and he is appeased This arte is not vnknowen to women Aperte cum est mala mulier tum demum est bona When a woman is openly euyll then is she good As who shuld say if there be any goodnes in a womaÌ„ it is then when she openly vttereth her malice Counterfeyted holynes they saye is double wickednes A woman for moste parte sayeth my authour Erasmus is a croked and disceitfull beaste and therfore she is leaste hurtefull when she is openly naught This is not so spokeÌ„ of women but it agreeth vpon some men also AuaruÌ„ facile capias vbi noÌ„ sis ideÌ„ Thou mayste easly take a couetouse man if y u be not the same thy selfe One couetouse person can nat beare another Amare et sapere vix deo conceditur To be in loue to be wyse is scase grauÌ„ted to god It is not one mans propertie bothe to loue and also to be of a sounde mynde Auarus nisi cum moritur nil recte facit The couetouse person but when he dyeth doth nothyng wel For wheÌ„ he departeth y e worlde thaÌ„ at last he suffreth other men to spende and vse his goodes which he had hurded vp Astute dum celatur se aetas indicat Age bewreyeth it selfe be it neuer so craftely hydde and conceled Auarus damno potius quam sapiens dolet The couetouse person soroweth for losse of goodes rather then the wyse man A wyse man vexeth not him selfe w t losyng of wordly thinges But he mourneth that maketh money his god Auaro quid mali optes ni vt viuat diu What euyll canst thou wysshe to the couetouse maÌ„ but that he shuld longe lyue forasmuche as he lyueth moste miserably Animo dolenti nil oportet credere Vnto a sorowfull mynde ye ought to gyue no credite So long as thou art greued truste nothyng thy selfe For greuaunce of mynde entiseth nothyng a ryght AlienuÌ„ nobis nrÌ„m plus aliis placet Other mens fortune pleaseth vs and ours pleaseth other men more No man is contented with his owne allotment and thynges Amare iuueni fructê° est crimeÌ„ seni Loue to a yonge person is frute or pleasure but to an olde person it is a foule vice Anus cuÌ„ lu dit morti delitias facit An olde woman when she vseth dalyaunce she doth nothyng els in effecte but delyteth death Amoris volnus ideÌ„ qui sanat facit The same selfe person maketh the wounde of loue whiche healeth the wounde that is to were if the person loued assenteth to the louer Ad poenitendum properat cito qui iudicat He hasteneth to repente him selfe whiche iudgeth lygtly Be not to quicke in iudgement Of heady sentence gyuing oftentymes foloweth repentaunce Aleator quanto in arte est melior tanto est nequior A dyser the more conyng and better he is in his feate so muche he is the worse The more a person excelleth in a thynge discoÌ„mendable the worse he is Arcum intensio frangit animum remissio Bendyng breaketh the bowe but flackyng breaketh y e mynde that is to wete a bowe if it be bent to much it breaketh But contrary wyse the powers of the mynde be increased be bendyng and continuall exercyse wheras with slackenes and ydlenes they be broken BIs est gratum quod opus est vltro si offeras If thou offre thy frende the thing that he nedeth vnasked it is worthe double thanke A benefite extorted by crauing hath loste a greate parte of the thanke Beneficium dare qui nescit inuiste petit He that can no skyll to do a good turne vnryghtly claymeth a good turne He ought not to enioy any benefite of other men that doeth good him selfe to none BonuÌ„ est fugienda aspicere alieno in malo It is good espyeng in another mans euyll what thynges are to be fled Learne what is to be eschued not with thine owne harme but take example at other mens euylles Beneficium accipere libertatem vendere est To take a benefite is to sell thy libertie He is not his owne maÌ„ that vseth another mans benefite Bona nemini hora est vt non alicui sit mala There is a good houre to no maÌ„ but that the same to another is euil Bis enim mori est alterius arbitrio mori To dye at another mans wyll is a double death Naturall deathe is nothyng so paynefull as is violent deathe BnÌ„ficia plura recipit qui scit reddere He receiueth more benefites that knoweth to requite Vnthankefull persons ons knowen haue no more any benefites gyuen them Bis peccas cum peccanti obsequiuÌ„ accoÌ„modas Thou doest twyse naught when to him y t doth naught thou appliest thy seruice and obeysaunce Bonus animus laesus grauius multo irascitur A good and gentle harte ons offended is muche more greuously displeased and angry Bona mors est homini vitae quae extinguit mala Deathe is good to man whiche quencheth the euyls and incoÌ„modities of lyfe BnÌ„ficium daÌ„do accipit qui digno dedit He by geuyng taketh a benefyte which gyueth a benefite to him that is worthy to haue it Blanditia non imperio fit dulcis Venus By fayre speache and gentle fashyons is Venus that is to say loue aswel in matrimony as otherwayes made pleasaunt and not by force by compulsion and coÌ„maundement Bonus animus nunquam erranti obsequium accoÌ„modat A good mynde neuer assenteth or lendeth his seruice to him y t erreth from the path