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 commones and ordeigned the clergie aboue the knyghthode the knyghthode aboue the peple and that the clergie shulde pray for the knyghthode and the peple the knyghthode sholde defende the clergie the peple â–ª the people to labour for the clergie and the knyghthode ¶ The sayde socrates was of rede colour of competent stature hore heded and wele faced demure of speche a grete studyer and loker vpon the erthe aud whan he spake he wagged his litil fynger he lyued four score ij yeres was written in his scale pacience good byleue in god maketh a man victorious Ande was wrytten in his girdel hauing respect and consideracion to th ende of euery thing causeth the salua ciou of the soule of the body he establisshed lawes whiche were sent into the Eest West South North and â–ª all was gouerned by them ¶ And said the first thing that thou shuld fixe thy wyl in is to kepe dyuyne Iustice to applye thy wil to the same and not to do sacrefices nor no iniuste thinges nor to swere no false othes And said right as a man is heled of his sekenesse by vertue of a medycine right so is an euyll man heled of his malice by vertue of the lawe ¶ And said to his disciples I am a tilman and vertues ben the sedes and study is the water that moisteth them ¶ Wherfore yf the sedes be not clene nor the water sufufficient what someuer be so wen profiteth litil And said one ought to merueile at him that forgeteth the perpetuall goodenesse of the other worlde for the goodes of this worlde that is not durable ¶ And said the we le disposed soule loueth to do wele and the euyl disposed soule loueth to do â—…rme And said the goode soule graffeth godenesse and the fruyt ther of is saluacion And the euil disposed graf feth vices and the fruyt therof is daÌ„pnacion And said the goode saule is knowen by that she receyued gladly trouth the euil saule by that she receyueth gladly lesinges ¶ And saide that when apersonne dowteth in dowtefull thingis and is stedfast in thoos that been open and euidenâ—… to the eye it is signe that he is of good vnderstanding ¶ And said that the saules of them that ben good been sorowfull of the werkis of them that been euill ¶ And said the man that foloweth couetise leseth him self endelesly at the last is al dishonoured And whoo that hates it geteth ynough at the ende is right wele worshipped And said that the goode saule saueth him self other ben saued by him ¶ And said the saule knoweth all thinges than he that knoweth his saule knowyth euery thing he that knoweth not his saule knoweth noo thing And said he that is keytif to him self he is more keytif to another he that is liberall to him self is comÌ„onely liberall to another ¶ And said litil teching suffiseth to the goode saule to the euill saule moche teching may not a wile And saide that vj. maner of men be that neuer be out of angre â–ª that is to witte â–ª the first is he that may not forgete his trouble the. ij an enâ—…ous man that dwelleth with folkis newly enrichyd she iij. he that dwelleth in aplace where another hath thriuen he can finde no prouffit there the. iiij a riche man fallen in pouerte the. v. he that enforceth him self to com to the state that is not bylonging to him to haue And the. vj. he that hath dwellith with a wyeseman and hath noo thing lerned of hym And said who so payneth hym self to shewe doctryne to a man of euyll courage resembleth to him that woll maistric a strong hors whiche if he yeue him not a strong bitte with a corbe he shal neuer con gouer ne him And saide to moche haunting felisship engeÌ„dreth no grete loue bitwene them absteynyng froÌ„ them causeth ennemytees than it is best to dele therin moderately And said he that doth goode is better than the goode he that doth euill is wors than the euill ¶ And saide science is had by diligence of men But discrecion cometh of god And said wysdom is the leche of the lawe moneye is the sekenesse when the leche may not hele him self howe shulde he hele a nother And saide thou maist not be perfyttely good if thou hatest thyn ennemy what shalt thou be than if thou hateste thy frende And said this world may be likened to away ful of thistles in a manere hidde wher a man is prykked that eÌ„treth in it if he aspie them he wol beware of it said he that loueth the worlde hath but labour he that hateth it hath rest ¶ And saide he is right simple that is certayn to departe from this worlde besieth him to make in hit his bildingis ¶ And said thy worlde is like a light breÌ„ning fyre wherof alitil is goode to kyndylle his light to shewe him the wey he that taketh to moche therof may lightely bren hem self with all ¶ And said he that setteth all his mynde in this worlde leseth his soule he that thinketh on his soule hateth this worlde And said he that loueth thys worlde may not fayle to fall in one of these ij inconuenientis or both that is to say other to displease our lord god or ellis to be enuied at of myghtier men then he is And said a man that seketh to haue ennemyes seketh his distructioÌ„ he that hath many enuyâ—…rs ennemyes is in the danger of euil fortune ¶ And saide this worlde is but a passage in to the other worlde and ther fore he that purueiâ—…th him of thingis necessarie for that passage is the surer for al ê‘ills ¶ And saide trouble not thy self gretly with wordely ac quisicions but resemble the birddes of the skye whiche in the mornyng seke but their refectioÌ„ for that day sembla by the wilde bestes that comÌ„e oute of the monteynes for to seke their fode and cit nyght repeire home ayen ¶ And sayd the errour is knowen in the ende to be euill and that that is goode is the more clerly seen after ther by Plato toke upon him to go in a wyage and desired to knowe of Socrates howe he shuld gouerne him self ther in and he saide dowte the of thoos that thou knowest beware of thoos that thou knowes not go not by nyght ete noon herbes that thou knowest not loke that thou kepe the high weye though iâ—… be the benger entende not to chastise him that is out of alle reason for thou shalt make hym ther by thin enemy And sayde lye not with a woman withoute necessite constrayn the ¶ And saide two thynges be laudable that is for to saye lawe and sapience lawe kepeth rightwysnysse and sapience causith good condicions Socrates acompanied him self with a Riche man and they mette theues in an hygh waye the Riche
the yf eny thing shuld befall the. other wyse than we le ¶ And said onneth may a man kepe the loue of his fren des if he wol correct him rudely of his faultes ¶ And said awyseman ought for to chese goode men to be his ser uauntes like as men chese the goode grounde for to labour hit ARistotle by interpÌ„tacion in grekes toÌ„ge is fulfilled or complete of goodenesse And he was sone to Nichomacus the whiche was right connyng in fisike and a good fisicien was boren in the Towne of Stagree and he was of the kinned both by his fadirs syde and by his modirs syde of Esculapius of the whiche he re byfor hath bemade mencion for he was in hys tyme the moost excellent And the best of al the grekes and whan the sayde aristotle was .viij. yeres of age hys fadyr put him in the cite of Athenes that than was called the Cyte of wysedom and there he lerned Gramare Râ—…torike and other bookes of poetrie And therin he studyed the space of .ix. yeres prouffyting greteli therin ¶ And in thoos dayes men sette moche store by the forsayde sciences and was their opynion that it was the laddre to go vp in to all other scieÌ„ces And certayn other wyse men at the same tyme as Pytagoras and pytoras and dyuers other reputed and held the sayd sciences for no sciences and did but mocke and scorne theim that lerned them Sayng that such science as Gramare Retorik and poetrye were not couenable to come to eny wysedom And that Gramare is not but for to teche the children Poetrye but for to telle falles and to make lesynges Retorike for to speke faire and in termes And whan Aristotle herde this wordes he had grete merueyle therof and was gretely agreued wyth such as helde the same opynyon And strength him after his power to susteyne alle maner of Gramaryens the poâ—…s and also the Retoriciens And said pleynly that Sapience can not excuse her of the said Sciences for Reason is an Instrument of wytte as It appereth openly that knowyng of eny thing is to vse of Reason and thys preroga tiue whiche god had yeuen to men is right noble and worthy to thentente that amongis the men he shuld be holden for the mooste Noble and mooste wyse that mooste vseth reason ¶ And that better and more couenably receyueth in his herte thynges ¶ And telleth hem in place and tyme couenable And for as moche as Sapyence is moost noble of alle other thynges she ought to be declared by the best rayson and couenable manere and by the moost pleasannt and short wordes that can be doon without errour or letting the sentence for if the reason be spoken inparfeitely the name of wisdom ys loste therby and so is the speker in fawte And so the herers resten in dowte of the sentence ¶ And after that aristoteles cowde the sciences abouen said he lerned of plato in aplace Called Epidenie Ethikes ande the .iiij. sciences theolegi kes and at that tyme he was .xvij. yeres of age and whan plato went the secoÌ„d tyme into Cecile he left Aristotiles in his place in the said towne of Epidenie In the whiche he taught the sciences and lerned than after the deth of plato the kyng phelipe of macedoyne sent for aristotiles whiche went to him in macedoyne and ther dwelled with him du ring his lyf teching contynnaly the said sciences and af tir the deth of kyng phelippe Reigned his sone Alexandre the grete And whan Alexandre departed from macedoyne for to go into the Countre and region of dayse thoo retourned Aristotiles to athenes and there he dwelled .x. yeres studyng til that he becam a souuerain clerk apreâ—…st accused him by enuie to the Citezeins telling hem that he worshipped not their ydolles like as other people dide 〈◊〉 that tyme wherof aristotiles was aduertised and hastyly departed fro Athenes and went into that to wne of setagire where he was borne fering that they of ¶ Athenes wold haue don to him as they dide to socrates if he hadde dwelled lenger with theym ¶ And he ordeined aplace in setagire where he helde and kept the seoles yeuing many good in structions to the people And occupied the tyme in good dedes ¶ And dede grete almesdedis to poure people and maried many pouer children that wer fadir and modir lees and he taught benygnely alle tho that wolde studye what astat or nacion that euer they werof and ediffied bilded newe ayen the said Cite of stagier and therin ordeigned lawes and yaue instuictions to kyngis and princis whi che they toke and kepete right reuerentely and after he deyde in the age of .lxiij. yeres they of Stagire toke his bo nys and right worshipfully put hem in ashryne wher they held their counseile for his grete witte and also for the gre te and feruent loue that they hadde to him and as often tymes that they hadde ado eny grete matere for to â—…ue tlr de claracion therof the men whiche were of counseile wolâ—…â—…o and stande as nygh the saide shryne wher the bonys 〈◊〉 as they cowde for to haue knowlege of the trouth of 〈◊〉 in a tere and thus they did for to worship him the mâ—… and their opinyons and verry trust were for only beyng 〈◊〉 the said shryne their wittes shulde be the bettir and theyr wnderstandyng more pure and subtill ¶ And the said Aristotill hadde in his tyme many kynges sones that wer his disciples and he made in his dayes wele an C. bookis of the whiehe we haue nowe .xxviij. in logike vâ—…ij in natu re the booke of Ethik the booke of politik the booke of Methafisike â–ª that is named theologike the bookis of the wit tes of geometrie and plato rebuked him by cause that he wrotte his sciences in bookis to whom he said in excusiug him that it is athing knowen and notified ynowe â–ª that all thoo that loueth science ought to do nothing that shulde cause the losse of her And therfore It is good to compose and make bookis by the whiche scieÌ„ce shal be lerned whan our memorie shal fayle it shal be recouerd by mene of bookis for he that hateth science shal not proffite in hit though it be so that he se the bookis biholde hem yet shal he sette not by it but departe wors lesse wyse than he was a fore I haue made and ordeigned my bookis in suche forme that the wyse men shal lightly aisely vnderstande hem but the ignoraunt men shal haue but litil auayle by hem ¶ And the saide Aristotiles held gladly in his hande an Instrument of the scieÌ„ce of the sterres And saide to kyng Alexander he that hath in this worlde good laudable name the grace of god ought to aske ne desire non other thing And saide thus to him directe thy self first for yf thou be not iuste howe maist thou wele directe thy people
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
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
that that is moost couenable for thy saule not to do the contrarye ¶ And said he that can wele conseille other ought to conseille wele hym self and haue remembraunce to the saluacion of hys saule for it is a grete vice to a man to worship helpe ano ther and disworship and hurt hym self ¶ And said as it bycometh euill a man that hath afoule vnclene body to be clothed with cloth of gold or with cloth of sylke right so it is afoule thing to haue grete beawte of body and of vysage and be full of euill werkys And said we ought by reason to kepe cleenly our bodyes we ar mor specyaly bounde to kepe honestly and wese that that yeueth vs know lege of our lord god that is the wysedom of the saule and not to hurte or ouercom it with meetes or drynkes And it was axid of him howe a man myght kepe him from Ire And he ansuerd in remembryng that it is inpossible he shulde al weye be obeyed but that he must somtyme obeye And that he shall not alwaye coÌ„maunde but he shal be coÌ„maunded And also that god seeth all thing yf he hath this in consideracion he shulde not longe be wroth and he sawe agrete fatte man to whom he saide thou paynes the sore to breke the wallis of thy pryson ¶ And said whan thou shalt correcte another shewe hit not like him that wold benge him of his ennemy but do as the phisician that cour toysely speketh to his pacient And whan thou shalt correcte thyself shewe the as the hurt man doth to hys leech SAint Gregorie seide Recomaunde to god the begynnyng the ende of al thy werkis And said studie and trauaylle to knowe alle thinges and reteyne and holde wyth the thoos that ben moost proffytable ¶ And saide pouerte is euyll but euill richesse moche worse And said be thou pacient and haue reason in thy wrath and lighte thy self wyth Sapience in stede of caÌ„del and presume not to be better than thou art but thinke thou art dedely Repute the for a strauÌ„ger thou shalt worshippe the straungers ¶ And saide whan thy ship shal be laden with grete transquillite than thou oughtest fere to be drowned ¶ And said men ought to receyue meryly alle that god sendeth hem ¶ And said the hattered of good men is better than the loue of euyl peple ¶ And sayd frequente and haunte the companyes of wysemen and not of the riche ¶ And saide dispraise not a litel of goode thin ges for they may gretely encresse and amende ¶ And said Endure paciently without takyng vengeauce GAlyen was one of the. viij leches Right excellent in medycine whiche were al. viij superlatyf aboue all other lechis of the whiche the first was Esculapyus The seconde Gorius The therde Myrius The four the Promenides The. v. platon The. vj. Esculapius the seconde The. vij Ypocras The. viij Galyen whiche had none like to him He was borne after the Incarnacion of oure lord ij C. yeres And he composed and made wese a iiij C. volumes of bookis among which therben viij that ben studyed in suche thinges as men desire to lerne of the art of medicine his fader was right diligent to put him to the scole spendid moche good vpon him sent hym in to the countre of Asie in the cite of Pargame Athenes Rome AlexaÌ„drie for to finde the best maistres And there he lerned physik geometrie gramayre and other sciencÌ„es And he lerned physik of a woman called cleopatre whyche taught hym many goode herbis And prouffitable to all manere of sekenesses And he dwelled long in Egipte for to knowe all thyse herbis ¶ And long after he deyed nygh the Cyte of Escam fast by the grene see in the marches of egypte And in his youthe he desired gretly to kno we the science demonstratiue And he was so enclyned to lerne hyt that whan he departed from the scole wyth other childeren his mynde was euer vpon that that hys mayster hadde taught hym wherof his felowes mokkyd hym And axed hym why he wolde not play and sporte hym with hem To whom he sayd I take as grete pleasaunce to recorde my lesson as ye do in your pleyes wher of hys said felawes hadde grete meruaylle ¶ And sayde that hys fader was happy to haue suche a childe and to put hym to the scole that so wele loued wysdom hys fader was a grete labourer his graunt fader was a souerayn maystre carpen ter and hys grauntsirs fader was an harper and meter of landes whiche is the science of geometrie Galyen was at Rome in the reigne of kyng Octauyen whiche reygned after Adrien and their he made a booke of anascomie and many other traityes Som sey that grete part of hys bookis were brent and among hem som of aristotilles bookys written with his hand of danagoras of Andromache and a booke that he hadde made of tryaâ—…les for venyms taught the kyng of grece to breke the hilles and felle the vallees and to make pleyne weyes in ther countres and edyfied Cytees and closed hem wyth bigge walles and also to make ryueres renne thorugh the townes ¶ And in other places where nede was And to do all other thinges that were to the commone proffyt ¶ And in thoos dayes they hadde more delectacion aud pleasaunce to the goode rule and gouernaunce of their lordship than to the ease pleasaunce of their owne bodyes And their hertis were moche sette to haue goode vnyuersitees scoles of grete clerkes And specially in physyke ¶ And also they ordeigned in euery Cuntre and region certayn folkis to gader herbes to breng them to the maistres of physyke for to preue them by experience ¶ And the same herbes thus approued were sent to the kinges closid and sealled with their sealles to th entent that they shulde not be chaunged and than the kynges ordeigned hem for seke folkis ¶ And the said Galyen sayd wysdom can not prouffit to a foole Ne wiâ—…e to him that vseth it not ¶ And sayd Heuynesse cometh of the thinges passed and thought of thinges to comme And Galyen was foure score yere and. vij whan he sayd that many grete lordes be Ignoraunte Whan they be more enclyned to haue fayre horsses and riche gownes and other Iewels than to wynne goode fame by good condicions ¶ And saide The physiciens were wont to haue lordship and to gouerne seke folkis and to cause them to do suche thinges as were most expedient and prouffitable for their helth and no seke man durst disobeye his physycien but shulde be compelled to obeye him wherfore they were the the soner recouered and hole ¶ And nowe the leches been subgettis to the seke folkis And be compelled to handylle hem easely and softely ¶ And to yeue hem swete drinckis thogh it auayleth hem but litill and ther fore is ther the more sekenesses and lenger vnhelth ¶ And
at suche tyme as he had accomplysshid this sayd werke it liked him to sende it to me in certayn quayers to ouer see whiche forthwith I sawe fonde therin many grete notable wyse sayengis of the philosophres Acordyng vnto the bookes made in freÌ„she whiche I had ofte afore redd But certaynly I had seen none in englissh til that tyme ¶ And so afterward I cam vnto my sayde lord tolde him how I had red seen his book And that he had don a meritory dede in the labour of the translacion therof in to our englissh tunge wherin he had deseruid a singuler lawde thank ¶ Thenne my said lord desired me to ouersee it and where as I shold fynd faute to correcte it wherein I answerd vnto his lordship that I coude not amende it But yf I sholde so presume I myght apaire it For it was right wel connygly made and translated into right good and fayr englissh Not withstondyng he willed me to ouersee it shewid me dyuerce thinges whiche as him semed myght be left out as diuerce lettres missiues sent from Alisander to darius aristotle and eche to other which lettres were lityll appertinent vnto the dyctes and sayenges aforsayd for as moche as they specifye of other maters And also desired me that don to put the said booke in enprinte And thus obeyng hys request and comaundement I haue put me in deuoyr to ouersee this his sayd book and beholden as nygh as I coude howe It accordeth wyth thorigynal beyng in frensh ¶ And I finde nothyng discordaunt therin Sauf onely in the dyctes and sayengys of Socrates Wherin I fynde that my saide lord hath left out certayn and dyuerce conclusions towchyng wymen Wherof I meruaille that my sayd lord hath not wreton them ne what hath meuyd him so to do Ne what cause he hadde at that tyme. But I suppose that som fayre lady hath desired him to leue it out of his booke â–ª Or ellyes he was amerous on somme noble lady for whoo 's loue he wold not sette it in his book or ellis for the very affeccion loue and good wylle that he hath vnto alle ladyes and Gentylwomen he thought that Socrates spared the sothe ¶ And wrote of wymen more than trouthe whiche I can not thinke that so trewe a man so noble a Phylosophre as Socrates was sholde write other wyse than trouth For If he had made fawte in wryting of wymen He ought not ne sholde not be beleuyd in his other dictes and sayinges But I apperceyue that my sayd lord knoweth veryly that suche defautes ben not had ne founden in the wymen born and dwellyng in these partyes ne Regyons of the world Socrates was a Greke boren in a ferre Contre from hens Whyche contre ys alle of othere condycions than thys is ¶ And men and wymen of other nature than they ben heere in thys contre For I wote wel of what someuer condicion women ben in Grece the women of this contre ben right good wyse playsant humble discrete sobre chast obedyent to their husbon dis trewe secrete stedfast euer besy neuer ydle Attemperat in speking and vertuous in alle their werkis or atte leste sholde be so For which causes so euydent my sayd lord as I suppose thoughte it was not of necessite to sette in his book the saiengis of his Auctor socrates touchyng women But for as moche as I had comaÌ„dement of my said lord to correcte and amende where as I sholde fynde fawte and other fynde I none sauf that he hath lefte out these dictes saynges of the women of Grece Therfore in accomplishing his comaÌ„dement for as moche as I am not in certayn wheder it was in my lordis copye or not or ellis perauenture that the wynde had blowe ouer the leef at the tyme of trans lacion of his booke I purpose to wryte tho same saynges of that Greke Socrates whiche wrote of tho women of grece and nothyng of them of thys Royame whom I suppose he neuer knewe For yf he had I dar plainly saye that he wolde haue reserued them inespeciall in his sayd dictes Alway not presumyng to put sette them in my sayd lordes book but inthende aparte in the rehersayll of the werkis humbly requiryng all them that shall rede this lytyll rehersayll that yf they fynde ony faulte tarette it to Socrates and not to me whiche wryteth as here after foloweth SOcrates sayde That women ben thapparaylles to cacche men but they take none but them that wil be pouer or ellis them that knowe hem not And he sayd that ther is none so grete empeshement vnto a man as ignoraunce and women ¶ And he sawe a woman that bare fyre of whom he saide that the hotter bare the colder ¶ And he sawe a woman seke of whom he saide that the euyll restyth and dwellyth with the euill ¶ And he sawe a woman brought to the Iustyce and many other wymen folowed her wepyng of whom he sayde the euyll ben sory angry by cause the euyll shal perisshe And he sawe a Iong mayde that lerned to write of whom he saide that meÌ„ multiplied euyll vpon euyll ¶ And sayd that the Ignoraunce of a man is knowen in thre thynges That is to wete Whan he hath no thought to vse reason Whan he can not refrayne his couetises ¶ And whan he is gouerned by the conceill of wymen in that he knoweth that they knowe not ¶ And he saide vnto his discyples Wylle ye that I enseygne and teche you howe ye shal mowe escape from alle euille ¶ And they ansuerd ye And thenne he saide to them ¶ For what someuer thyng that it be kepe you and be wele ware that ye obeye not to wymen Who ansuerd to him agayn ¶ And what sayist thou by our good moders and of our susters He saide to hem Suffise you with that I haue sayde to you For alle ben semblable in malyce ¶ And he saide who someuer wyll acquere and gete science late him neuer put him in the gouernaunce of a woman And he sawe a woman that made her fresshe and gaye to whom he sayde Thou resemblest the fyre For the more wode is leyde to the fyre the more wole it brenne ¶ And the gretter is the hete ¶ And on a tyme one axid him what him semed of wymen ¶ He ansuerd That the wymen resemble vnto a Tre called Edelfla Whiche ys the fayrest tre to be holde and see that may be â–ª But within it is ful of venym And they saide to him and demanded wherfore he blamed so wymen and that he him self had not comen into this worlde ne none other men also with oute hem He ansuerd The woman is like vnto a Tre named Chassoygnet on whiche tre ther ben many thinges sharpe and pryckyng whiche hurte and pryek them that approche vnto hyt ¶ And yet neuerthelesse that same tre bringeth forth goode dates and swete And they demanded hym why he fled from the wymen ¶ And he ansuerde For as moche as I see them flee and eschewe the goode and comonly do euill ¶ And a woman sayde to him wylt thou haue ony other woman than me ¶ And he ansuerd to her â–ª Arte not thou ashamed toffre thy self to him that demandeth nor desireth the not LO these ben the dictes sayengis of the philosophre Socrates whiche he wrote in his book ¶ And certaynly he wrote no worse than a fore is rehersed And for asmoche as it is acordauÌ„t that his dyctes and sayengis shold be had as wel as others therfore I haue set te it in th ende of this booke â–ª And also somme ê‘sones perauenture that haue red thys booke in frensshe wold haue arette a grette defaulte in me that I had not do my deuoir in visiting ouerseyng of my lordes book acording to his desire And somme other also happely myght haue supposed that Socrates had wreton moche more ylle of women than here a fore is specified wherfore in satisfieng of all parties also for excuse of the saide socrates I haue sette these sayde dyctes sayengis a parte in th ende of this book to th entent that yf my sayd lord or ony other persone what someuer he or she be that shal rede or here it that If they be not well plesyd with alle that they wyth a penne race it out or ellys rente the leef oute of the booke Humbly requyryng and besechyng my sayd lord to take no displaysir on me so pre sumyng but to perdone where as he shal fynde faulte and that it plese hym to take the labour of thenpryntyng in gre thanke whiche gladly haue don my dyligence in thaccomplisshyng of his desire and comandement In whiche I am bounden so to do for the good reward that I haue resseyuyd of hys sayd lordship Whom I beseche Almyghty god tencrece and to contynue in his vertuous disposicion in thys world And after thys lyf to lyue euerlastyngly in heuen Amen Et sic est finis Thus endeth thys book of the dictes and notable wyse sayenges of the phylosophers late translated and drawen out of frenshe into our englisshe tonge by my forseide lord Th erle of Ryuers and lord Skales and by hys comandement sette in forme and emprynted in thys manere as ye maye here in thys booke see Whiche was fynisshed the xviij day of the moneth of Nouembre and the seuenteth yere of the regne of kyng Edward the. fourth