it appereth in the fourth book of kynges the fyrst the ix xiiij the xvij chapytres Moreouer the chyldren of Israel were reprised by holofernes But fynably they humbled them self and were saued as it apperith the x chapytre of Iudith And generally by humylite the creature may gete of god that whyche he hath nede of for whiche humylite to haue moche prouffyteth it a man to wel beholde knowe hym self as it is sayd in the begynnyng of this present chapytre How humylite is agreable to god to the world capo. iiij HVmylite is moche playsant to god to the world For she wytnesseth of thomage that the creature oweth to do to his creatour naturelly euery good man hateth pryde wherfore it foloweth that he loueth humylite And veryly we see in dede that a proude man may haue no frende the reason is this For he may not suffre that another be lyke to hym but he wyl surmounte euery man so gaynsayeth alle amytye For as Arystotle sayth iu the ix chapytre of the Ethyques Amytie or frendshyp requireth semblauÌ„ce somme equalite bytwene them that so owen to loue alas pryde deuyded heuen pryde also maketh many warres in the world For wylle desyre to regne maketh ofte many grete bataylles somtyme wythout cause put many men to deth Therfor the wyse man ought to humble his hert for to be loued of god after of the world And of so moche as the creature hath more of good welth lasse of aduersite of so moche he ought the more to humble hym self and not tabyde the tyme of necessyte whaÌ„ he shal by force be humbled Therfore sayth Aristotle that more it auaylleth hym that humbleth hym self by his owen wylle than to hym that is humbled by force And therfore Seneke in his epistle to lucille lxx sayth thus brynge thy self to lowe lytel astate withoute to enhaunce thy self to th ende that fortune make not the to falle foo hye to lowe Say not the naturyens that the lyon doth no harme to a man that humbleth hym self to hym wylde bore doth noo harme to a man that is leyde on therthe And therfore a man oweth by ryght to humble hym self for tesche we peryll And to this purpoos we rede how dydymê° in his epystle sayd to alyxandre knowe thou for trouthe that god is redy to do to the moche good so that thou be not deceyued by thy pryde by whyche it apperyth that pryde empecheth wytte aduys maketh a man to lyue without peas of conscience For hates noyses be founded in pryde as in the rote of al enemyte And to this purpoos sayen the naturyens that the thondres lyghtnynges and the grete wyndes ben caused of somme erthely thynges whyche ascende â—â—â—tylly vp aboue by the rayes of the soune more hyer than thâ—y ought to doo But nature whyche may not suffre them sendeth them agayn doun in lyke wyse causen the thynges abouesayd SeÌ„blably is it of a proude man whyche is moche â—ooâ—â—ful ful of noyses by cause that be mounteth more hye than he ought or shold in dede he falleth lower than he wold for he may endure nothyng of the world necesse not to despyse other Therfore sayth Prudence in his book of subgection of vyces that humylite adressth a man maketh his lyf more in a moyen in al his operations and tesche we oultrage Therfore reherceth valere in his fourth book that syth that another Valere had be moche grete at Rome he put hym self frely in a ryght lytel astate and lefte al pompes and al worldly thynges and me semeth that al proud peple ought to aduyse them vpon the hystoryes and auncient examples the wyche shewe how humylite enhaunceth the peple and pryde ouerthroweth them Rede we not how saul kepte nete and Dauyd sheep after were kynges Constantyn also was ryght poure whan he toke to his wyf helayne and after was chosen Emperour By whyche it appereth that the humbles haue ben enhaunsed but of the proude folke what shal we say I praye the byholde what is bycome of the puyssance of new whych fysshed with nettes of gold where is the puyssauÌ„ce of pharao where is the myghty cyte of Troye whyche was so renomed where is babylone that was so made iu heyght Certeynly all is come to nouÈt For pryde may not longe endure What auaylleth theÌ„ne pryde whyche the world so moche loueth what is bycome of Arphaxat the proud kyng he was all vanysshed awaye as smoke what is bycome of Agryppe and Iulyen that were so myghty Fortune hath taken awaye fro them alle that she had gyueÌ„ them he is a fool that trusteth in her but peraueÌ„ture thou shalt saye that thou mayst wel truste in thy wytte and in thyn hauoyr where as is thy grete puyssaunce Alas I praye the. wylt thou adresse the consydere that no man ouÈt to glorifye ne sette his hert in his sapyence ne in his wysedom And herof hast thou example of salamon the wyse maÌ„ whych afterward was deceyued so moche that he adoured ydolles Architofel the wyse counceyllour of dauyd fynably he henge hym self And the wyse cathon slewe not hym self democritus also And therfore it is grete folye for a man to gloryfye hym self in his wytte connyng more ouer what auaylleth the yf thou be fayr For Absalon was fayr neuertheles he was hanged on a tree And tholyfauÌ„t for al the beaulte of his yuorye his teeth is ofte put to deth The gamaleoÌ„ is moche fayr in his lyf but he is ryght foul in his deth what auaylleth theÌ„ne the beaulte of this world Thus euery persone may see and wel apperceyne that ther is no thynge in thys world wherof we ought to haue pryde for to gloryfye our self And this consydered the kyng of perce seeyng his people and hys kynghtes wepte sayeng Alas I see a ryght fayr companye But it is pyte seen that in short tyme they shal be but erthe In lyke wyse recounteth saynt Iherome that ther is no thyng of the world that endureth For we rede that Ionynyan dyd grete payne for to bycome a kyng but he deyed the same day that he shold haue be made kyng of the royame of Perce and Valentyne that was so ryche was by bledyng at the mouthe dede quenchyd And his sone gracyen was betrayed of hys owen people slayu by one his enemye Thenne it is but lytyl glorye to seygnourye and to haue ryclxsses and the same sayd the kyng agryppe whyche is tofore named the which in deyeng cryed wyth an hyghe wys Alas my good peple sette nothyng by hauyng of ryclxsses For me that am your lord ye may see deye right pourely And therfore Orace in his epystles sayth that there is nothyng that better apperteyneth to a man than lowlynes or lytel thyng For to a lytel thynge apperteyneth lytel That is to wete humylite the which maketh agreable to god and
thyng but drynke and the sauf a lytyl whyle they be in ydlenes and in playes dyssolute and therfore Socrates the philosophre despysed the lyf of the peple of the courte and of alle them that folowe the halles And grete dyners To whome speketh Seneke in one his epystle O ye myserable people that doo noâ—e other thyng but drynke and et â–ª hit is domage that ye haue soule and vnderstondyng syth that ye onely thynke on your body And for somoche vyrgyle in his fyrst boke of Enâ—ydos repreueth dydo by cause she held her longe atte dyner what shal we saye of them â—heneÌ„ of whome ysaye saith in his vij chapyter The whyche haue not leyzer to slepe by cause they wold ryse erly in the morn for to make them self dronke They be lyke to them of whome seneke speketh in his lxxxxvij epystle the whyche â—aâ— nyght drynke alleway and ete sauf a lytyl whyle that they slepe And it is good to wete that theÌ„ne they dreme that they drynke aud ete For gladly men dreme of that whyche they doo by daye Thenne ought the prynces to flee and eschewe glotonnye and ought to haue in theyr court mesure ordynannce and alle honneste But thou shalt fynde there now none ordre but fylthe and foule table clothes And meÌ„ whiche saye them self to be honeste but they renne to the table shouyng And puttyng away eche other And they resemble not men but hogges and swyne goyng to theyr trough in foule etyng there shal thou here noo word spoken of god ne saye noo graces ne benedicte â–ª but dyssolute wordes othes sweryng all dyshoneste shal thou there see regnyng â–ª yf thys were in warre it shold not be ouer grete meruaylle Bu in tyme of peas to mayntene suche a lyf it is not a lyf but it is deth and right glotonnye the whiche engendreth lecherye lyke as sayth valere And also experyence sheweth the same the whyche ys ryght eâ—yl syttyng in prynces geuerally in alle chynalrye And as to me Irepute Impossyble that a man lecherous ameroâ— folyssly of wymmen may be wyse aud kuyghtly â—ecounteth not vegece in his iij boke of Chyualrye how the noble knyght scipion thaffrycanut wolde neuer abuse hym self with wymmen how fayr so euer they were as it apperith of the fayr mayde whiche he refused and restored her to her hustoÌ„ de we rede also how Octauiau seeyng Cleopater a right fayr â—irgyne how be it that he was somwhat enclyned to her loue â—euertheles he wold in no wise abuse her lykeas policrate saâ—th in his iij boke the vij chapytre Semblably we rede how hanybal Gayus Iulius Cezar and Cathon lyuedeu right sobrely and chastly as it apperyth in the v boke of policrate the vj chapytre â–ª Thus thenne ought the prynces to consydere ho w that folyssh loue of wymmen destroyed the strengthe of Sampson The wytte of Salamon the bounte of Dauid â–ª And therfore may neuer prynce longe endure that setteth alle his entencoÌ„n to lecherye lyke as saith seynt Ierome in his xxxiiij epistle And to thys purpos Egesippâ— in his fyrst boke in spekyng of one named Antonye sayd to themperonr knowe thou that Antonye is vaynquysshid â–ª but that is not by the. but this hath doon Cleopatre whome he hath so folysshly loued For he had leuer be vaynqnysshid with her than to vaynquysshâ— without her Thenne ought eâ—y Chyualroâ— man to take hede and see wel to that he be not lost by lecherye Trouth it is that be nameth hym self Amorous But whan I adnyse me wel he may be named maleuroâ— that is vnhappy For it is grete myserye for to haue thought to mayntene a woman For theÌ„ne his hody he destroyeth his strengthe perysshith his syght wasteth hâ—s wytte mynyssheth his lyf shorteth his helthe enpeyreth And his courage for to doo well gooth away aud his good fame renomee And whan he weneth to be happy by cause he hath founde a fayr woman than he hath loâ— hym self by cause of his inordynat loue whiche is that he loueth the woman more than hym self And so it happeth ofte that he is moche deceyued whan he weneth to be byloued singulerly that is to wete be that maynteneth dyuerse and many wymmen For he ought to knowe that neuer woman loued snche a man longe how wel that she sheweth semblaÌ„nt for to loue hym but her hope is for to haue his gold and his syluer I put caas that it were otherwyse And that ther were loue bytwene bothe partyes yet may none otherwyse be 〈…〉 right vnhappy the whiche for loue of the 〈…〉 leueth thestaâ—e 〈…〉 by what moyâ—n his auncetres haâ—e conquerd theyr goodes â—ud honours ¶ How the prynces ought to employe and dispose 〈◊〉 â—elf capâ— viâ— THe Prynces ought to be example of honour And of good lyf to employe dispose them self in good werâ—es and feates for to be cause that theyr snbgettis doo semblably And it is a grete shame yf a prynce that shold be a capytayne of knyghtes be callyd a player of dyse euery knyght ought to knowe that by playeng of dyse or other games semblable may nothyng be goten ryghtfuly ne Iustely but all that is goten by that moyeÌ„ is to the dampnacoÌ„n of his soule hurtyng of his couscyence By suche games the name of god is sworn and forsworn despysed A man loseth his tyme and his reste ofte And whan he shold thynke how he shold gouuerne his people than he studyeth to begyle his felawe and wynne his money And to this purpoos we rede in polycrate how a knyght named Clysson Arryued in the contrey of Corynthe for to treate allyaÌ„nce with the lordes of the contrey the whyche he fonde playeng atte dyse he thys seeyng departed sayde he wold haue none allyaÌ„uce with players of dyse For players of dyse beÌ„ coÌ„ynly light iÌ„ courageÌ„ chaÌ„nge ofte theyr purpoos as dooth the fortuÌ„e of dyse â–ª ben redy for 〈◊〉 promyse to swere also beÌ„ ful of couetyse and by consequent ben enclyned to rapyne and thefte And therfore saith seueâ—â— in his prouerbes that he that knoweth moste of suche playes knoweth most of euyll As who shold saye that in suche games is no thyng but euyll And synne TheÌ„ne is it a grete â—ame tath chyualrye be euployed in suche games For such â—â—ayes make a man to lese his 〈…〉 and cousentyng For I put â—aas that whiche they haue beâ—n â—â—â—fte Neuertheles alle they that playe for auarice and couâ—â— se ben in theyr herte Rauynous And therfore seynt Ausâ—â— sayth in his iiij boke of the cyte of god the xvj chapitre how wyse womaÌ„ dremed that it shold be good to forbede and deâ—â— de alle the games and playes that ben in prâ—uidyce of the â—â—myn wele But I wyl not saye but that the prynces and 〈◊〉 knyghtes may playe And dysporte them with somme hoâ— playe For as seneque saith in his boke of
had withinÌ„ her bely was destroyed· For she had supposed that her husbond had ben deed or that he had receyued soÌ„me vylonnye whos name was Pompee the graÌ„ut After he recyteth of the doughter of Cathon named Porcia seeyng her husbond brutns to bâ— slayn she demaunded a knyf to slee her self also And by cause that none wold delyue to her no knyf she toke brennyng cooles and put them in her monthe ete them donÌ„ in suche wyse that she deyde by a right merueylloâ— manere Semblably be recounteth of the wyf of kynge metridatus whyche folowed hym in alle places where he wente were it in bataylles or els where And certaynly she kytte of her heeris and arayed her lyke a man for to haue the better oportunyte for to folowe hym in alle places And how be it for to doo in lyke wyse it is noâ— of congruyte ne of necessite yet by the said hystoryes it apperâ—â—â— how mariage ought to be had in grete loue And to the samâ— purpoos recyteth valerius in his vj boke the vij chapitre 〈◊〉 â—ulpiâ—a a kepte her husbond in a lytyl place right secretely Not withstondyng she wyfâ— wel that she shold be deed yf her husboÌ„d were founde with her whom they songht to put to deth And â—t is good to knowe how in mariage after the doctours thâ—e â—hynges ought to be that is to wete fayth loyalte lygnage â—acrament By fayth and loyalte is gyuen to vnderstoÌ„de that neyther of the parties maryed ought not to trespace with his â—â—dy but to kepe it to his partye For as thapostle faith in 〈◊〉 fyrst epystle to the Corynthyeus the body of the man is by â—ngyng to the wyf And the body of the wyf to the man that â—s to vnderstonde in mariage And as seynt Ambrose saith in â—is exameron god made eue of the syde of Adam in signefyâ—â—ce that in mariage a man and woman ought to be all one â—ody one self thyng And me semeth that the partye that forâ—ayteth his maryage dooth a yenst the lawe of nature For â—he storke hath suche forfayture in abhomynacoÌ„n of storkes to â—â—ee hym or her that so forfayteth lyke as Alexander recouÌ„teth in his boke of nature of byrdes And me semeth it is a grete abhomynacion to see in many maryages so lytyl fayth and loyalte as now is But I byleue that one of the causes emonge the other is that the maryage be not duely maad but for money or other euyl cause TheÌ„ne it is noo merueylle that the maryage contynue not well syth the begynuyng therfor the kynge lygurgis wolde and ordeyued in his RoyaÌ„me that the virgynes and maydens shold be wedded without to haue gold or syluer to th ende that the maryage shold not be made by couetyse lyke as pompeus recyteth in his iij boke And valere in his vij boke the first chapytre recyteth how one demaÌ„nded som â—ym of a phylosopher named themystodes how and to whome 〈◊〉 shold marye his doughter that is to wete to a poure man 〈◊〉 to a ryche The whiche ansuerde that he ought not to demaÌ„nâ—e pouerte ne richesse but the bounte and the vertues of the mâ—Ì„â—ore ouer in maryage ther lyeth right grete aduys and not â—â—ly for parentage but also for to Mayntene it And to this purpoos speketh Theofraste dystyple of Arystole in his boke that he made of maryage in whiche he saith that a maÌ„ ought more to beholde the bounte of the woman than the beaulte and yf thou demaÌ„nde whiche is better to take a fayr woman or a foule he ausuerde that it is an hard thyng to kepe a fayr woman the whiche many men desyre And it is a grete payne â—â— loue the foule one whiche many despyse alleway yf she be good the goodnesse shal kepe her beaulte And yf she be not fayr 〈◊〉 is none hard thyng to loue her that is of right good wyll for naturally resonably more ought the bounte to be praysed thaâ— the beaulte More ouer in maryage is moche to be suffred sinâ—gulerly yf bothe parties be not wyse For men ben ofte suspecyonnoâ— of theyr wyues Therfore ought a woman to be syâ—ple and good not onely of her body but also of her mayntâ—â— and maners For in spekyng in beholdyng ne in conuersaâ—â— she ought not doo ony thyng by whiche ony other myght thynke or Iuge in her ony euyll And it happeth ofte that by they folyssh mayntene and maners the wymÌ„en make theyr husâ—boudes to mysdeme and euyl of byleue Many also seeyng they manere folyssh suspcoÌ„nnoâ— payne them self to deceyue thâ—â— wenyng that they be of euyl disposicoÌ„n by cause of theyr wanâ—â— and folysshe maner And oftyme it happeth that suche one â— taken with her nette the whiche she neuer thought it shold haâ—â— pen And alle this euyl cometh by the false semblaÌ„ntes Anâ— countenances that many wymÌ„en maken The men also tha purpose to marye oughten to aduyse and beholde the condycoâ— of her that they desyre to haue to wyf But many ben deceyueâ— by cause they take them in the age of xij yere or ther aboute anâ— theÌ„ne what they be noman may wete ne knowe For as 〈◊〉 prouerbe saith how seeth a chylde seeth no thyng Al 's in maryeng hym self one ought to here many speke For louâ— and carnal affeceyon blyndeth the vnderstondyng and makeâ—â— a man fauourable to Iuge whan he is surprysed of suche 〈◊〉 therfore a maÌ„ ought to byleue more another than hym so ¶ How the wymÌ„en ought to gouerne them self capo. vj A woman ought to haue resonably two condicoÌ„ns that is to wyte shame of repreef and drede of disobeyeng of her partye For thenne a woman is loste dissolute whan she hath in her neyther drede ne shame And it is a thyng moche to be repreued to see wymÌ„en hardy dissolute and redy to doo many euyllis Snche ben they the whyche by theyr maners foule and dissolute and by theyr lecheroâ— beholdynges drawe men to doo euyll of whome speketh seynt Ierome in his epystle Cviij And sayth that many wymÌ„en ben lyke to thydolles the whiche drawen the people of the world to the fende Semâ—lably ben they that poppe them self make them to seme fayr for to brynge other to synne And it is grete merueylle how they presume to deffeate and altere that whiche god hath made moche lewde is the woman the whiche weneth to make â—er more fair than god hath made her And it is a grete presumpcoÌ„n to defface the paynture of god for to make the paynture as saith seynt Ambrose in his exameron to this purpoos Guyllem in the boke of his boke of the vnyuersal world recyteth how two wymÌ„en somtyme were riyht câ—ryou se for to make them soo fayr and to kembe them soo it happed that the one deyde the whyche after apperyd to her felaw whaÌ„ she arayed and kembed her self and sayd to her my frende aduyse the For I am dampned for my curiosytees the