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
man said It were danÌ„gerous to me if they knowe me ¶ And socrates said It were the better for me If y were knowen by them ¶ And said a wyseman ought to vse hys dayes in one of these two maneres that is â–ª to seye in that that may cause hym to haue â–ª Ioye in thys world and in the other or in that that may cause him to haue goode name in this worlde And sai de this worlde is delectacion of an houre sorowe of many daies the other worlde is grete reste long ioye And said whosomeuer teche the one worde of sapience doth the more goode than if he gafe the of his golde And saide swere not by our lorde for no maner of lucre al be it thy cause be true for som wol thinke thou forswerest thy self And said take hede howe thou yeuest thy yeftes for som siÌ„ple folkes yeue to the vnnedy refuse hit to thoos that haue nede And said If thou wilt wynne a frende speke good of him for goode 〈◊〉 engendreth loue euill speche engendreth hatered And said a kyng ought to put from him al euil disposed â—…sones for the harme that they of his coÌ„panye do is reputed his dede And said he that erreth knoweth hit after 〈◊〉 him therof hath deseruid pardon And said he that â—…dleth to correct euery man causeth the moost part to hate him And said to a man that hadde reproued his linage If I be the worse for my linage as thou sayest thy linage is the worse for the ¶ And said he that seketh the delices of this worlde is like vnto him that seketh to drink zarab we nyng it were water renneth to drinke it till he be wery whan he cometh to hit he findeth no thing than he is more thristy than he was before for zarab is a myst in a medew whiche at somtime by reflection of the soÌ„ne semeth a water is none in dede And said a man hath neuer perfyte reste ioye in thys world â–ª for he can not al waye perseuere in delectacion possesse his winning oft hath trouble angwysshe aswele forlosse of his frendis as otherwyse And said the loue of thys world stoppeth mannes erres from hering sapience blynfildeth the eyen from seing trouth hit causeth also a man to be enuied kepeth him from doyng goode dedis And saide he that loueth vseth trouth hath moo greter seruauntis than a kyng And saide he is not free that byndeth him to another â–ª And said afferme no thing til thou knowe the trouth nor do no thyng â–ª but it be couenable nor begiÌ„ne no thing but yf thou se howe to bringe it to goode conclusion Ther was a riche man saide to him O socrates why art thou so poure To whom he ansuerd If thou knowest what is pouerte thou woltdeste haue more sorwe of thy pouerte than of myn ¶ And sayd It is a grete merueile to se a wyseman angry And sayd the deth is a thing that may not be es chewed ther ought none to drede hit but suche as haue comitted grete imquite and don litil iustice wherfore they shulde drede dampnacion for their demerites after their deth ¶ And said good deth is not to be dispised but to be magnified preysed for it makith traÌ„smutacion from the worlde of vnclennesse and shame to the world of worship from the world not durable to the worlde perpetuel â–ª from the world of folie and vaâ—…rites to the world of sapience reason and trouth ¶ And fro the worlde of traueile and peyne to the worlde of consolacion and reste ¶ And said It is merueile of him that dowteth to dye and doth thinges contrari to his saluacion And said deth is lyffe to him that knoweth to haue ioye after it ¶ And said he that liueth wele shal dye wose And said better it is worshipfull deth than shamefull lyfe And said deth is the rest of couetous people for the lenger they lyue the more multiplie their couetises so deth is they more coueÌ„ able for them than lyf for the deth of euil people is the we le and surete of the good Because they shall do nomore synne nor hurt to the people ¶ And said the lyf Iugeth inderectely amongis the dede ¶ And said one ought not to wepe for him that is slayne with out cause but for him that hath slayne him for he that sleeth vniuste ly dampneth him self ¶ And said he that dredeth eny thing ought to his power to be ware therof Also he that dowteth to haue peines for his synnes after his deth ought so to dele that he may escheue that parell ¶ And said whan thou wolt do eny thing loke for what occasion hit is And if thou seest the ende therof goode haste the conclusion and ellis resiste thy wil ¶ And saide bettir is to a man to liue harde than to borowe of him that reputeth his litil lones yeftes to be grete withoute cause wol think a man to be in his danger ¶ And saide take in no preisyng the lone or yeft of him that hath disworshipped the for the dishonour shame therof is more than the wynning He loued alwey to lerne wherof som rebuked him to whom he said the grettest shame that can come to an olde man is to be ignoraÌ„t he foÌ„ de a yong man that hadde folisshly spent wasted his substaÌ„ce was broght to suche pouerte that he was feyn to ete olyues to whom he saide if the olyues hadde be as goode to the at the begynnyng as they be nowe thou shuldest haue hadde yet largely of thy goodes ¶ And saide ther is noo difference bitwix agrete teller of tydyngis and a lyer ¶ And said the noblest thing that children may lerne is science for therby they eschewe to do euill werkis ¶ And said the gretest wynnyng that a man may haue is to gete a true freÌ„de he herde a man say that one was surer in keping his tunge than in moche speking â–ª for in moche laÌ„gage one may lightli erre To whom he said one ought not to vnder stande that in them that speke wele And said the proffit of silence is lesse than the prouffit of speche the harme of spe che is more than the harme of silence And saide one may knowe a wyseman by harkeÌ„yng holding his tuÌ„ge a maÌ„ may knowe a fole by his moche clateriÌ„ g And said he that wol not holde his peas til he be coÌ„streyned is to blame he that wil holde his peas til he be boden speke is to be preysed And said It is an ignorant thing to dispute in thingez that may not be vnderstande saide the meane is best in all thinges And said moche reÌ„nyng maketh moche werinesse saide if the witte of a man ouer maistrie not his frailte he shal sone be ouercome brought to nought And said he is abeest that
quenchith when the brondis be taken awey Also a dronken man can nat perceyue his droÌ„kenship til he be sobre after whan he seeth another dronken he knoweth therby in what was he was in ¶ Also the angred man retourned by his pacieÌ„ce seeth another angry may wele perceyue his owne defawtes ¶ And saide We see comonly women sonner angry than men the seke men rather than the hole the olde man lightlyer than the yonge wherfore it is to be thought that wrath cometh of feblenesse of courage And a maistre rebuked his clerck seyng holde thy peas bondemans sone And he ansuerd I am not the lesse worth for my kynne But thou art the wors for thy condicions ¶ And saide A wyseman ought to saye that that is coÌ„uenient somtyme to here that that is not to be said ¶ And saide ther is no thing that greueth somoche thy frende as to shewe him that thou hast him suspect And saide Companye dele so with the peple that they wissche after thy pÌ„sense whan thou art absent that they lament be waile thy deth a man wepte whan his sone was boren And it was axid of him why he wepte ought rather to be ioyefull And he ansuerd I wepe for my sone that goth nowe to warde his deth And it was axed of him what maner peple be leest behated And he ansuerd thoo that may nother helpe nor hurt that doth nother good nor harme for the euil peple hate the goode the goode hate the euil And saide Custume is harder to bre ke than nature And said ther ben ij maner of abstineÌ„ce One is with goode wyl the other by force whiche is not goode And a nother saide speke but prouffitable thinges nor ete no more than for thy sustynauÌ„ce seke to haue nothing but that is possible to be had ne compleyne the not of thy frendis take nonÌ„ vnhope of that that thou maist not amende Aske nothing of the couetous man teche that thou can yeue that thou hast haue pacience in thyn aduersitees Do to be written in thy seale or in thy signet bothe goode pe ple and bad shal ende beholde that sentence often And said Short remembraunce hastenesse of speche maketh many a tyme man fayle and erre in his Iugement And one Rebuked a wyseman To the whiche the wyseman saide Thou rebukes me nat of alle my vices And It was axid of him why he wolde haue no sone he ansuerd I had leuer be withoute for whan I beholde the grette loue that a maÌ„ hath to his chylde the grette peynes troubles he hath to bryng him vp and atte last must lese him that sorowe were more to me than the Ioye It was aduised one that was goyng in a ferre vyage that he shuld nat holde his Iurney lest he dyed therin ¶ And he ansuerd That deth is alle one to me be it in other Countrees or at home And It was axid of another what thing is not to be don though it be iuste trew And he ansuerd a man ought not to prayse him self of eny of hys goode dedis ¶ And saide It is somtyme good to spare the sothe for to yeue hope to his ennemyes to saue his frendis froÌ„ deth for trouth nedeth not alwayes be said ¶ And it was axid of him what thing was most delectable ¶ And he ansuerd helthe whiche is not sure to be kept long in one degre is moste diffycile ¶ And said A man that desireth to come to eny grete wele ought not to leue it though he atteyn not therto at the first but ought to continue his entreprise for it cometh at one tyme. that cometh nat at C. And saide the wyseman is not deceyued by flateringis deceyuable or swete wordes like as the snake whiche ys taken eten by the pecok in beholding the fayr fethres of his tayle And awitty prince may helpe him in his warres aswele with bad peple as with good in diuers maners ¶ And said If thou haâ—…e a man thou oughtest not therfore hate all his seruantes ¶ And said Though a man haue bought abooke It compelleth hym not to studye and rede therm Aud said Men ought to serue god in x. maneris that is to wytte to yelde him graces for the benefetes that he hath yeue hym to bere paciently hys aduersitees to speke trewly to paye all that he promytteth to Iuge right wysely to be temperate to do goode dedis after hys pouer or he be required to worschipe hys frendis to foryeue the fawtes of hys ennemyes to desire nor do ony thyng to ony man but as he wolde be don to ¶ And one was blamed bicause he hadde yeuen his siluer to an euylle persone beyng in ne cessiteâ—… ¶ And he said I haue not yeuen hym my siluer for hys badnes but by cause he was in necessite ¶ And saide excercite of diuers labours is helth and delectacion of the body ¶ And was axed him sithen whan he was waxed wyse And he ansuerd sithen the tyme that I began to disprayse and mystxyst my self he herde a man reherse lesingis and vntrewe wordes To whom he sayd If thou hardest another fey that thou sayest thou woldest not byleue him wherefore thou maeyst wel thynke noman bileueth the ¶ And Aristophanus sayd Victorie of worde is not victorie in dede but the veray victorie is in the werke And Anaxagoras sayde A good wyseman fereth not the deth for wysedom gouerneth hys wytte hys tonge hys voyce trouth gydeth his herte and his will pytie mercy ben his frendis seking of wysemen ben his fete his lordship is Iustyce his reigne is mesure his swerde is grace his wepen is peas his arowe is saluacion his knyghthode is the counseylle of wysemen his ornamentis ben strength his tresoure is discipline his loue is the companye of good peple his loue all his desir is to fle synne to serue loue god And saide A grette tresour is to haue frendis is a noble affection wherfore it is conuenient to cherisshe kepe hem wele to winne one by another as oon byrd draweth many moo into his company And a kyng axid of a wrse man whom he reputed able to be a good Iuge And he ans uerd He that is not deceyued by flateries þ t is not corrupt by yeftes is not deceyued for fawte of discrecion ¶ And another saide Sclandrers ben wors than theues for theues stele but the goodes sclandrers take distroye loue And another said worship yeuen without cause atte last tourneth to shame ¶ And another saide It were better to be in companye conuersaunt with a serpent than with an euil woman And saide one ought to doubte the subtilitees craftes of his ennemy if he be wyse and if â—…e be a fole thâ—… drede his folies And another said the most liberal in this worlde is he that reputeth for a grete
as the children whan they be borne in peyne entred into this world reioysse hem after whan they be grete fele the delices and eases therof In like wyse men be sorowfull whan they shal dye yet if they haue lyued wele they go after in to a 〈◊〉 world where they than shal resioysse them perpetually ¶ And another said As the goodenesse of wysemen goth eumore in a mending In like wyse goth the malices of the fooles euery day in empayring ¶ And another said If thou correcte a wysemaÌ„ he shal thanke the therfore if thou teche a foole he shal dyspreyse the ¶ And saide He ys thy verray frende that in thy necessite offerith him self alle his goodes vnto the And another saide the gouernour of a wyseman is pacience and the goueruour of a foole is pride And another said a man that is slowthfull in his werkis is coÌ„monely enuious of the we le of other men ¶ And another sayde It is goode toenquere twies of thinges vnknowen for the first question is of wille and the seconde is of discrecion And another saide trouth is goddes messager wherefore she must be worshipped for the loue of her maister ¶ And another said he that multiplieth hys temporall goodes dyminueth his espuÌ„alles And another saide thoos that byleue and drede god stedfastlye haue not delectacion but onely in him in his werkis ¶ And another saide the moost laudable werkis that one may doo is to obeye the maundemeÌ„tes pleaser of our lord god and the werke of the body Ioigned to the werke of the herte is more laudable than the werke of the herte onely ¶ And another said the euile creatures been wors than serpentes lyons or caraynes And in like wyse as vpon the erthe ther is nothing bettir than the goode creatures Right so ther is no thing wors than thoos that be wykked ¶ And another saide he that taketh vpon him higher astate than to him bilongith putteth grete peyn to be euill spoken of ¶ And a nother saide he that will haue reste in his lyf ought to kepe hym from iiij occasions the first is that he ought not to be wroth though som creature lyue whiche he wolde haue dede seconde is yf som dye whiche he wolde haue alyue thâ—… therde is yf he hath not that that he desireth and the fourthe is yf he see that fortune raise and bring vp somother of lower degre than he is ¶ And another saide to entermedle and dele litille with wordely werkis is a thing that may beste kepe a man from alle inconuenientis ¶ And another saide the more a wyseman is alone the greter is his Ioye be it day or nyght And another said the euil disposed king is like a caraygne þ t maketh the erth stenke aboute it the goode king is like the fayer reÌ„nyng ryuire that is prouffita ble to the creatures And another said The wysemeÌ„ ar nat content to prouffite onely them self but semblably do auaÌ„tage to other the fooles hurte not onely them self but rather take grete labour to hurte trouble other folkes And another said a foole for a litill thing exposeth him â—…ightly to fortune And said thou maiest not be so wele arrayed nor be seen as with trouth And another saide absteynyng from wrath and couetise is a laudable thing aswele in this worlde as in the other ¶ And another saide he that yeueth conseyle praysith it him self wold feyn be callid 〈◊〉 And another said lete not to do wele though thy good dedis ben not knowen for wele doyng is so goode of hit self that it shal be willable ynough to the attâ—… last And another sai de a man of goode discrecion ought not to excercise hym in thinges inpossible ne say thinges not willable â—…e spende more than his wynnyng is ne promette more than he may fullfille And another said a maÌ„ may haue but payne labour in thys world And said he that eteth not shal dye for hungre if he eteth more than ynough he shal be seke wherfor it is a difficile thing to a maÌ„ to be longe in helth And another seide trust him not that forswerith his feâ—…th for worldely thinges And another said Idelnesse engâ—…dreth ig norauÌ„ce ignorauÌ„ce engeÌ„dreth errour And another said thou shalt fiÌ„de eueri where clothing mete place for to dwelle in if thou be ought but that suffiseth the not þ t is to the necessarie thou shalt be subgect to couetise yet thou shalt lakke thy desir And another said In loÌ„g sleping is no ê“ffite but harme is to vse it a man ought to beware that he dispeÌ„de not half his lyf in Idelnesse And another said the goode soule wol haue no rest in this world than he that wol haue a goode soule ought to beware of to moche rest And another said beware of the coÌ„panye of a lyer in all thy werkis be they in grete auctorite or in smal And another said he that loueth the with feynt loue for wordely thingis shal hate the in like wyse but he that loueth the for the ê‘petuel we le shal growe eumore in thy loue And another said goune the so wele that thou kepe the from euil doing suffise the with the goode dedis that thou shalt do besyde And another sayd he that wil wite whethir his soule be noble clene or foule corrupt he ought to coÌ„sidere his disectacioÌ„ his coÌ„science if he delyteth him in doyng good vertues noble thiÌ„gis without harm than his soule is clene noble if he delyteth him in doing foule traÌ„sitorie thiÌ„ges of no value than his soule is foule for euery thing resioyeth with hies semblable the good with the goode the euil with the euill And another saide he is happy that goeth the right wey for he findeth soÌ„ner therby the place whedir he wold go he that gooth oute of his weye the more he gooth the ferther he is behinde And it was axid of a wyseman what was ê‘â—…aytte folye he ansuerd to think to com to a good astate ê“sperite by bad werkis to loue falshed hate trouth to take delecta cioÌ„ in richesses to trust euery man it was axid of him what is the signe of litil forsight litill knowlege he ansuerd one to yeue trust wher he hath ben deceyued And suffise you with þ e traÌ„slacioÌ„ of þ e sayngis of these philosopheres HEre endeth the book named the dictes or sayengis of the philosophres enprynted by me william Caxton at westmestre the yere of our lord M. CCCC Lxx vij Whiche book is late translated out of Frenshe into englyssh by the Noble and puissant lord Lord Antone Erle of Ryuyers lord of Scales of the I le of wyght Defendour and directour of the siege apostolique for our holy Fader the. Pope in this Royame of Englond and Gouernour of my lord Prince of wales And It is so that
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
can not discerne the good froÌ„ the euill And said he is a good freÌ„de that doth the good a myghty freÌ„de that defendeth the from harme he wrote vnto a king re conforting him whan his sone was dede in this maner â–ª god made this worlde an hous of delectacion reward the trou bles in this worlde causen remuneracion in the other And said no man ought to repute him self wyse And said this world yeueth exemple to thoos that abyde by thaim þ t depart â–ª And said the losse of soÌ„me is lerniÌ„g to other And said he that trusteth in this worlde is deceiued he that is suspectious is in grete sorw One of his disciples gafe him a gyfte he was troubled with al It was axed him why he reioysed it nat he said the recepcion of this gifte hath procured his worship put me in his daÌ„ger And said be to thy fader and to thy moder as thou wilt thy children ben to the And saide be not to angry nor to wrathfull â–ª for that is the werke of a fole And said one ought to haue shame to spe ke that he hath shame to do ¶ And saide refrayne the from vices in thy youth it shal be the feirest garment that thou maiest were ¶ And saide gouerne the so to thy power that noman say harme of the albe it it were lesynges for all men knowe not the trouth yet they haue eeres plato desired him to answere in iij. thingis he wold be his disciple the first was what maner ofmen one ought to haue moost pite of the. ij wher fore som mennis wirkis preue not the iij. bowe a man shulde do to haue retribucione of our lord The first he auswered that a man ought to haue pite in iij wieses that is to seye of agood man in the haÌ„dis of ashrewâ—… for he hath ther but al sorowe of a wieseman in the gouer nauÌ„ce of a foole which is to him gre ¶ heuynesse a liberal maÌ„ in the subiection of a kaytif for he hath therby grete tri bulacioÌ„ The ij their werkis preue nat that haue goode coÌ„n seil werke not ther after haue richesse wil not dispen de hit for their nede The. iij. is the goode retribucion that one receyueth of our lord god comÌ„eth to be entierly obeissaÌ„t vnto hym absteine him from synne whan plato was thus answered he becam his disciple al his lyf And the sai de socrates seide dispreise thy bodeli deth it shal be the lyf of thy saule folowe Iustice thou shalt be saued And said awiesemaÌ„ resteth deliteth him whan he findeth trouth And saide awiesemaÌ„ ought to speke with an ignoraÌ„t as the phi sicien doth with his pacient ¶ And saide he that taketh his pleasance in thys world must nedis falle in one of these ij causes that is to say other to lakke that he coueteth or to lese that he hath wonne with grete payne ¶ And said to one of his disciples suffise the to ete that wille take awaye thy hungere dryncke that wil stanche thy thurst remeÌ„bring wele thy soule folowe goode werkis serne sapience of the moost wysemen that be in thy dayes escheue the ginnes that women set to take men with al â–ª for they be hiÌ„drers of sapyence And said he that loueth this world is like to him that entreth in to the see for if he escape the parels of the same meÌ„ wol seye he is fortunat if he be perisshed they wol sey he is wilfully disceyued â–ª And said man hath pouer ouer his wordis â–ª til they be spokeÌ„ whan he hath ones vttered them he hath no power ouer hem And saide he that hath no power to refreyne his tonge hath no myght to resist all his other delectacioÌ„s And said silence speche is goode in diuers wy ses places And said if a man be moche herde speke one may knowe if he be discrete or not if he holde his peas or speke litil one wil the rather deme he be wyse And sayd whan a man speketh he ought to considere what he wil seye for better it is he coÌ„sidere than another shold And said to one of his disciples whan thou wilt speke speke cu toisely or hold thy peas and said he that holdeth his peas or speketh litil lerneth atte speche of other if he speke other lerne at his wordes One axed him what was a goode purchasse he ansuerd that that groweth in the speÌ„ding therof And said droÌ„kenship vndoth a maÌ„ said one ought not to axe coÌ„sei le of him þ t hath his herte al sette to the world for his adius shal be but after his pleasaÌ„ce said good coÌ„seil sheweth often the ende of the werke ther was a womaÌ„ þ t called him olde and said his face was right foule To whom he answered theu art so derke so troublous amyrour that my beawte can not be perceyued therin ¶ And said he is discrete that kepeth wele his secretes he is not wyse that discouers them And said a man ought to kepe secrete that he is desired to kepe he is more to preise that kepeth that thing secrete whiche he is not desireth to kepe ¶ And said if thou can not kepe thyn ownÌ„ secretes moche lesse woll he kepe hit to Whom thou hast told hit to one axed hym why a wiese man wil desire to haue counsaile he seyde leste his wyll be in eny wyse medled with his witte ¶ And said he that is of good condicion is of good and sure lyf and is beloued of good people and he that is of euill condicions is euyn the coÌ„trary And saide to one of his disciples truste not thys worlde for it paieth neuer that it promitteth ¶ And said acustume you to be content with litil for ye shal fynde hit for the best and that shall come vnto you repute it not for litil for it may encresse multiplie but seke to wynne frendes in very loue shewyng them noo signe of hate and one axed him what differeÌ„ce was betwene trouth and lesin gis he said as moche as is bewene the eere and the eye ¶ And said he that desireth to haue more than suffisauÌ„ce hath that proffiteth him noo thyng ¶ And said to one of his disciples trust not in the tyme. for it faileth IncoÌ„tineÌ„t to him that trustith ther to ¶ And said ware thou be not disceyued by thy beaute and by thy youth nor by the helth of thy body for th ende of thy helth shal be sekenesse the en de of they sekenesse shal be deth thou maist not escheue the diseases of this world ther was neuer Ioie withoute sorwe nor neuer light withoutderkenesse nor neuer rest withoute labour nor assemble without departing And said like as the fortune of thys worlde shal make thy reioysing vpon thin enemy right so may it make thin ennemy