Selected quad for the lemma: love_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
love_n	know_v	love_v	time_n	6,164	5	3.9759	3	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A16439	The boke of wisdome otherwise called the flower of vertue. Folowing the auctorities of auncient doctours [and] philosophers, deuiding and speaking of vices [and] vertues, wyth many goodly examples wherby a man may be praysed or dyspraysed, wyth the maner to speake well and wyselie to al folkes, of what estate so euer they bee. Translated first out of Italion into French, [and] out of french into English, by Iohn Larke. 1565.; Fiore di virtù. English.	Larke, John.; Gozzadini, Tommaso, attributed name.; Leoni, Tommaso, attributed name.	1565 (1565)	STC 3358; ESTC S116186	56,010	218

Fyrste I wyll speake of the loue of God whych oughte to be aboute all thynges then afterwarde I will speake of the Loue of the Fathers and Mothers then of the loue of Compaignons neighboures and Fryendes And at the laste I wyll speake of the Loue of Women ¶ Howe the Loue of God is the Loue aboue all Loues that durethe the longest And that withoute the whyche the creatures can not be satysfyed nor contented ¶ The .ix. Chapter THe Loue of God whiche is called Charitie commeth and decendeth by two vertues that is o tsaye by faithe and hope For a man can not loue God if fyrste he haue not trewe faythe in hymselfe in beleuinge stedfastlye that there is one verye god in Trynitie And then he oughte to haue hope and and trust to come to the glorie and Ioye whyche is euerlastinge lyfe And of these two vertues is create and engendred in the hearte of the person a dysposycyon to incline hym to loue God And all thys cōmeth by the vertue grace of the holy ghoste ¶ Salomon Kynge of Hierusalem speakynge of the loue of God saide I haue buylded Howses planted Vynes and trees bearynge all maner of fruytes I haue had greate pleasure in all maner of garmentes and appapell I haue had greate quantytie of golde and syluer and precyous stones I haue had many fayre chyldren And manye noble seruauntes And of all other maner of people in my Court I haue had Mynstrelles Players and Syngers of all nacyons I haue had greate domynyon power and auctorytie vpon the people And greate scyence in dyuers maners And so I haue had the greatest honoures that anye man myghte haue And there was neuer thynge that I desyred but my desyre was fullfilled but when I haue Imagined and well consydered all these thinges that I haue done in vayne I haue seene clearelye that all is vanitie and falshed and deceyuynge of the spyrite And also I haue knowen that there is nothyng in this worlde but vanitie pryde And y t ther is no man perfite but he whych is in the loue of god Then I did pray w t al my heart y t he wold send me death ¶ Saint Paule saith that the wysdome of the worlde is but Folie And he y t can the moste can the leaste ¶ Aristotile saithe I came into this world naked and as a fole I haue lyued and at the ende I know that I can nothinge ¶ Sainte Austyne saythe O thou man that demaundeth peace wylt thou that I do reache it thee haue stedfastnes then in all thy hearte to loue God for the myserye of this worlde is so euydente and cleare and easye to know that euery man maye perceyue it For no man can be honoured but another shall be vituperat and reputed vyle nor the one can not be great but the other lytle nor the one Ryche but the other poore And also thys worlde maie be compared to a great and a large table whereupon there is a lytle and a narowe towell the which the one plucketh on the one side and discouereth the table on the other syde and so taketh al from his compaignon He that putteth hys loue in thys worlde he endurethe muche sorowe for truly all is vanitie but he that dothe set hys loue in God is all hys tyme merye and Ioyeous The Loue of god dothe maintayne it selfe by the perseueraunce as he hym selfe witnes sayenge Qui autem perseuerit vsque in finem hic saluus erit ¶ Howe the Loue of Father and Mother with other Parentes commeth And what reuerence and honoure we oughte to geue to oure Father and Mother And the maner to loue his wife Children And to correct and leade them in thys world ¶ The .x. Chapter THe Seconde Loue procedeth of naturall and carnall mouing of the courage whyche constrayneth the person to loue hys Parentes that is to saye his Father and Mother and other hys kynsfolkes as nature dothe moue vs. A certayne Philosopher saythe doe not put thy trust in hym whyche loueth not his father and his Mother or hys Kynsfolkes For if he doe not loue them it is in maner impossyble that he shoulde loue thee ¶ Salamon saythe in the Ecclesiastike In all thy wordes in al thy dedes and workes honoure thy father and thy mother And thou shalte haue the euerlastynge benedyctyon of God The benedictyon of the Father mayntaineth and vp holdeth the house of the Sonne And the malediction or curse of the father dothe vndermyne the foundacyon therof God commaūdeth y e in the lawe honour thy Father and thy mother to the intent that thou may lyue longe vpon the earthe ¶ Saunt Mathewe saith that he neuer se chylde whych dyd euyll intreate his Father and hys mother but god did take vēgeaūce on him in this worlde ¶ Plato sayth know well the man afore that thou loue hym And whē thou shalte knowe hym well then loue hym well wyth al thy hearte it is sayde in degree that the loue whyche a man hathe wyth a vyle and vnhoneste person can not be but by some vyle occasyon And saythe that the good man is corrupte by the companye of the euyl And the euyll man dothe lose hys euill name by keping companye w t more honest better men then he And saith that thou ought to loue perfectlye thy wyfe for seinge that thou arte her husbande she is one of thy membres and ye be both one hearte and flesshe God doth name the woman the ayde and helpe of the manne for when he had made man he sayde let vs make ayde vnto him did take one of the ribbes of Adam and made therof the woman in sayeng for this womā the man shall forsake his Father and his Mother and shall Ioyne hym onely wyth hys wyfe and they shal be two flesshes in one ¶ Saynte Paule sayth Men loue youre Wyues in lyke case as Ihesu Chryste loueth hys whyche is the Churche And in another place saythe loue youre Wyues as youre owne bodye for it is the gyfte of God ¶ Sydrac saythe that the possessions and Rychesse commeth and be giuen by the Father of any man but hys wyfe is the gyfte of God ¶ Saynte Paule saythe the Husbande hathe not the power of hym selfe but the Wyfe nor the Wyfe of her selfe but her Husbande And saythe moreouer thou oughte not to beleeue that it is synne to medle in all honoure wyth thy Wyfe For the Apostelles saye let euerye man haue hys owne to auoyde furnicacyon ¶ Salamon saythe that a good Wyfe is aboue all the goodes and rychesse of thys worlde for she is the crowne of the man and the keper of the howse If thy Wyfe be euyll thou oughte to supporte and not to blame her if by no meanes thou canste amende her howe be it gyue her not to muche power of thee ¶ For as Sidrac saythe beware that

thou doe not moue thy wyfe so that thou shall cause her to come to more Ire and wrathe ¶ Salamon saythe that there is no heade in the worlde so full of venyme as the heade of a Serpent nor no Ire so greate as the Ire of a Womon ¶ Tulle saythe that that person whyche is a shamed of the companye of hys Father and hys Mother is not worthy to be amongest the Cytezens ¶ Sidrac saith that he was borne in an vnhappy howre whych doth forsake his Father and he is cursed of God whych is stoburne vnto his Mother ¶ Saynte Austyne saythe that a man ought to honoure his Father and Mother in two maners that is to saye to beare them reuerence And to mynister that thynge vnto them wherof they haue nede ¶ For Salamon saithe Honora patrem tuū gemitus matris rue non obliuiscaris And sayth if y ● haue sonnes chastise them and they shal be comfort vnto thy soule if y ● haue doughters teche them to kepe their bodies And giue them not tafaire countenaunce mary thy doughter for thou doest a good dede it thou marye her to a wyse man ¶ Senec saythe chastyse thy children and cause them to feare and drede god for it is better for a man to see hys chyldren dye then to see them lvue euyll and to be ingrate ¶ Sainte Bernarde saythe in his cantikes that ingratitude is enemye of the soule and dyminysheth the vertues and is perdycyon of merytes and benefytes The sinne of Ingratitude is lyke the wynde whyche dryeth vp the water of the Fountaines of pytie the dewe and water of grace and goodnesse of mercye as the wyse manne saythe Ingrati enim spes tanquem hibernalis glacies tabescet dispariet tamqui aqua super flua ¶ Of the Loue of Compaginons and Fryendes and how to entertaine it ¶ The .xi. Chapter THe Thyrd Loue whiche is called amytie of Compaignons it is to wyll one thynge togyther laufullye and honestlye And thys loue dyscendeth by three occasyons whych moueth the persone to the same The fyrste is for some goodnesse that the person hath or trusteth to haue of him that he loueth The Second is for the good wyll and mynde that the person hath vnto hys fryend in desyryng wysshyng him good The Thyrde is that he woulde be allwayes as one wyth hys fryende partaker wyth hym in al thynges for loue that he oweth vnto him And these three maners of loue be verye good and vertuous ¶ Saynte Thomas saythe that thou maye keepe thy fryende three maner of waye The fyrst is to loue hym wyth all thy hearte and that he may knowe it The second is to do all thynge to thy power whych thou knowest doth please him And the thyrde is to beware that thou do no thynge that shall displease hym And saythe also that by other three meanes thou maye kepe him thy friende that is to saye to laude and prayse hym in his absence and to helpe him at hys nede ¶ Salamon saythe that there is nothyng to be compared to a faith full friende ¶ Ouid saythe that when thou shalbe in prosperyty thou shal find and haue many fryendes And in thine aduersytie thou shalt be lefte all alone without anye fryendes ¶ Arystotyle saythe that the more dygnytie and honoure or rychesse that a man hath the more nede he hathe of fryendes for one good thynge can not be alone and with out another ¶ And Salomon saythe there be three thynges that be verye pleasant acceptable bothe to god and man that is to say concorde amitie of bretherē loue of neighbours and the loue of the man and his wyfe when they loue the on the other saith that it is a soueraigne goodnesse gyfte of God to haue a good wife he that chaūseth to find a good wife he findeth great good welth And he that forsaketh and chaseth from hym a good wyfe he chaseth from him his welth profyte And saith also y t a good wyfe doth honoure the howse riches an euil wife is distruction of al together the dishonour of her husbād ¶ Salamon wyllyng to blame the women saythe manye thynges of them of the whych at this time I will not speake for there is manye good reasons wherfore a man ought to honoure the women and accordynge to hys sayenge a man shall not fynde one good woman amongest a Thousande But I beleue that he speaketh thys as a man angrye and moued for one woman whyche dyd deceyue hym For it is redde in the olde Testamente that the same Woman dyd so muche to Salamon that for the great loue that he had vnto her she caused hym to forsake God and to worshyppe Idolles And she dyd leade hym so muche after her wyll that she caused hym to be clothed and to weare Womans apparell she caused hym to spynne and dyd ordre and leade hym after her owne wyl as if he had ben a chyld And these thynges whyth the woman dyd vnto hym he speaketh euyl of al other sayenge y t amongest a thousande women a man shall not fynde one good And that the iniquitie of the man is better then the goodnes of the woman but as I haue sayd afore he speaketh ther of as it dothe please hym for it we wyll consydre and beholde the euil dedes of the men we shall fynde them muche greater then those of Women ¶ Howe the Loue of Concupyscece commeth to Men and Women And of the daunger that doe chaunce and come of the same ¶ The .xii. Chapter OF the Fourthe Loue whiche is commonlye called to be enamoured is the loue of Concupisence whyche is when the man loueth the woman for the pleasure that he trusteth to haue of her As those do cōmenly which say I am enamored of such a woman The delectacion of this loue is all in the corporall and bodelye delectacyon ¶ Saynte Thomas the Apostle sayth that a man wold neuer loue anye thynge if he had not truste to haue some pleasure and goodnesse of the same How be it a man some tymes supposeth that thynge to be full of great goodnes of the which commeth euyl Yet it semeth to him that loueth such a thing that ther can none euyll come therof And as it is so that euery loue commeth by some delectacion corporall or intellectuall The loue corporall cōmeth descendeth by the tyue corporall senses or wyttes as is aforesayde The intellectuall loue cōmeth by y e imaginacion of the vnderstanding And the delecracion intelectuall is much greater then the corporall so that all the delyte of the loue of Concupisence is in delectacion intellectuall And therfore the loue of Concupisence may not nor oughte not to be called loue ¶ Plato maketh mencyon therof sayeng loue of Concupisence is not vertue of loue but rather vyce of lechery when the man leueth

his wyfe onely to haue his pleasure of her or the woman her husbande for to haue profyt this loue is very euyll ¶ Tulle sayth that perfecte loue is that whiche is not by force nor by feare and dread nor for profite that a man trusteth to haue ¶ Dyogenes saythe that the loue of Concupisence commeth by being Idle And that it is a greate Vyce and sinne the loue of Concupisence And agaynste the commaundemente of God whyche saythe Couyte not the Wyfe of thy neyghboure ¶ Saynte Austyne sayth that the sinne of fornycacyon is perdicion and cleare dampnacion of the soule of the whyche thynge oure Lorde Iesu chryst speaketh in the Gospel Qui viderit mulierem ad concupicendum eam iam meatus est in corde suo ¶ Example of the Vertue of Loue ¶ The xiii Chapter OF the Vertue of Loue it is redde in Historyes of Rome that the kynge Diomebes wolde haue caused to cut the head from the bodye of a woman called Fizolie for a certaine offence wherof she was accused this woman came before the king and required him y t he wolde geue her pardon space for viii daies that she might set all thynges in ordre and to prouide the better for the healthe of her soule And the kynge answered that he was contente so that she wold gyue a pledge for her that in case that she dyd not come at the day appoynted that he wold cause to cutte of the heade of the sayde pledge And the woman aunswered that she was verye well contente And that incontynente she wolde fynde a pledge wherof the kyng meruailed greatly for he had thought that there had ben neuer a person in the worlde that wolde haue pledged her And then she did sende for a yonge man which was of an honest stocke the whiche had loued her perfytlye a longe tyme she hym to whom she told the hole matter And incontinēt this yong man named Arion did rendre him selfe prysoner for her and bind him vnder the paine aforesayde that in case that she did not come agayne that he was contente to loase hys heade And then the sayde woman wente home to her howse made her Testamente and did bequethe her goodes when y e terme drewe neare euery mā mocked this yong man reputyng greate Folie in him but for all that anye man colde say vnto hym he wolde not forget the loue of her And was contente to suffre deathe for to alengthen her lyfe he loued her so feruentlye So the daye of the terme came in the whyche she seinge the great loue of thys yonge man dyd rendre her selfe afore the Kynge and requyred that Arion mighte be delyuered then that the Kynge shoulde take his pleasure of her The Kyng then seinge the perfyte loue that was betwene them dyd geue her pardon sayenge that it weare great synne to departe so good and perfite loue as they had betwene them the one to the other ¶ Howe Enuye is contrarye to the Vertue of Loue. And what Euuye is And also of the paine that the enuyous man beareth in him selfe ¶ The .xiiii. Chapter ENuye whyche is a Vyce contrary to the Vertue of Loue is in two maners the Fyrste is to be sory for thewelthe and prosperytye of another Man The Seconde is to be Gladde for the euyll and Aduersytye of another Man ¶ Salomon saythe be not glad of the euyll that happeneth to another man for it doth dysplease god And knowe ye that he that is glad of the euyll of hys neyghboure shal not be vnpuneshed ¶ Saynte Gregorye saythe that in the world is not a greater tourmente and paine then Enuye for whe are Enuie is there can be no loue And saythe that the greateste vengeaunce that thou canste take of hym whych beareth thee Enuie is to do hym all the good that thou canste ¶ Plato saythe that the enuyous man is neuer wythout sorowe and payne nor the I poeryte wythoute feare and dreade ¶ Saynte Austyne saythe he that hath enuy in him can loue no man And saythe that it is berter for a man to keepe hym from the Enuye of hys Kynsfolkes and Fryendes then from the Enuye of hys Enemyes ¶ Saynte Austyn saythe that enuye is to be sorye of the felysyete of another man And saythe that the enuyous person hath not onely enuye at greater then be but at them whyche be egali wyth hym or worse then he He hath Enuye at those whyche be greater or better then he because that he is not so good or so great as they be he beareth enuye at those whyche be egal wyth hym because that he is not better or greater thē they he hath enuye also at those which be worse then he for feare that they become not so good as he wherefore he hath Enuye at all maner of folkes ¶ Orace saythe that the Enuyous man brenneth wythin and wythout And saythe that the Enuyous person is contente to lese money to do domage to and her man ¶ Socrates sayth that he whiche beareth the vessel of enuy shal haue euerlasting paine the holy scripture maketh mencyon thereof sayenge Nequam est oculus aduerteus faciem suam ¶ Example of Enuy. ¶ The .xv. Chapter OF the Vyce of Enuye it is red in the olde Testamente that Caim seing that all thynges of hys brother Abell dyd multyplie and brynge forthe much fruyte he had so greate Enuye therat that he killed the said Abell his brother whiche were the two fyrst brethren vpon the earthe And it was the fyrst bloud that euer was shedde vpon the earthe And all was by Enuie ¶ Howe a man oughte to take Gladnesse and Ioye And of what thynge And what Gladnesse or Ioye is ¶ The .xvi. Chapter GLadnesse or Ioye is the effecte of Loue As Priscyan saythe and it is a contenting and reste of the hearte ¶ Sidrac sayth that the lyfe of mā is Gladnesor Ioye of hearte And saith that for a man to reioyce hym selfe to much of thinges not conuenient is not vertue but rather vice ¶ Saynt Austine saythe doe not reioyce to muche in the loue of the worlde for he that to muche re●●sech hym therin oft times hath he uynes therof And sayth that there is no ryches to be compared to the healthe of the bodye ¶ Senec saythe be not proude in thy prosperytie nor be not angrye nor oute of pacyence in thyne aduersytie for in thys worlde is not so Ryche a man as he that hathe suffyeyente And is contente wyth that thynge that he hathe And saythe he that wolde demaunde of me who is a ryche man I wolde aunswere that it is he that hathe suffycyente and is contente And that he whyche desyreth alwayes more rychesse is poore ¶ Boece sayth that nature is contente wyth a lytle thynge if a man wyll not do it outragious ¶ And Arystotyle saythe to

to doe euyll There is dyfference betwene Suspectyon Ielousye For Suspectyon is to beleue euyll of another man as it is aforesayde Ialousye is to haue feare of that thynge the whyche a man loueth doe no otherwyse then it ought to doe Ielousie dyscendeth of the vertue of Loue. For no person can bee Ielous but for two reasons The one is for the feare that a mā hath that the thing which a man loueth do not otherwyse then ought to be done And the other is that it be not the dyshonoure of the person which a man loueth ¶ Iuuenall saythe that the Ialou sye of a woman is verye greate for she can not loue the person whyche she knoweth doth loue her husbād ¶ Plato sayth that perfyte loue is in three thynges that is to saye to loue to feare and to honoure ¶ Socrates saith that person that loueth feareth But al those which doe feare doe not loue And saithe that the person which loueth hath alwayes feare of that thynge whyche he loueth There is dyfference betweene Treason and Malyce Treason is properlie to betraye by malyce the person which doth put his trust in thee Malice is to Imagyne some thyng for to deceiue and ther man ¶ Longin saith that in a Traiter the loue is vice ¶ Saynte Austyne saithe that the Trayter doth neuer swage nor my tygate hym selfe for famylyarytye nor for pouertie nor for eatyng and drinkinge nor for seruyce nor for giftes ¶ Sainte Paule maketh mencyon therof sayenge ¶ Erunt hamines cupidi elati supervi proditores proterui tumidi ¶ Example of Falsehed ¶ The .xlv. Chapter OF Falsehed it is redde in the olde Testament that by the wyll of God there was two Aungelles sente into the Cyfye of Sodome for the abhomynable syn there vsed they lodged in the house of a good man the seruante of God called Loth. And they badde hym that he shoulde go forth of the towne for they wolde brene it and all the inhabytantes therof And as thys sayde Loth was vpon a mountayne hys two Doughters dyd imagyne by falsehed to deceiue hym to the intente that he should meddle Flesshlye wyth them They caused hym to drinke so much that he was bronken And then the elder of his sayd two doughters dyd ley her selfe by hym And so moued and steared hym with touchynges and other tokens that be medled flesshlye with her And so dyd the yonger in so much that he did get them both with chylde ¶ Howe Trueth is to be compared by Reason to the Perdryche And how Trueth is that thynge which iusty fyeth the man afore all persons ¶ The .xlvi. Chapter TRuethe as Saynte Austyne saythe is to vse Verytye or Trueth wythoute anye shadowe or coloure of Lyenge The Vertue of Truethe maye be compared to lytle yong Perdryches for the Perdryche is of suche nature The one wyll robbe the egges of the other And sitte vpon them as they were her owne egges but as sone as the lyfle Perdryches be brought forth And that they here theyr owne propre mother crye and sing they leue and forsake the olde Perdrych whiche broughte them forthe of egges and go to their owne very mother And so it is of the vertue of trueth for the man dothe couer it so longe as the contrari is not knowen and perceyued but at the ende truethe doth alwayes abyde and contynue in hys place ¶ Aristotile saith trueth doth help him at the ende of all hys workes and dedes which doth loue it ¶ Senec saythe that the person oughte alwayes to inforce and constrayne hym selfe to be Verytable or True for it is the moste worthy and honorable thynge to a wyse man that his dedes maye veryfye hys sayenges And he oughte to be ware that he doe not lease the being veritable for if ones he do lease truethe shalbe no more beleued by hym There was a manne that demaunded of a Phylosopher howe he mighte be fayre spoken And he saide saye nothinge but that thou knowest wel without addyng ther to any lye ¶ Salomon saythe makynge hys praier to almighty god good lorde I praye thee that all vanytyes and lyes may absent them and be farre from me ¶ Saynte Paule saythe God will dystroye the tongue that dothe lye And saythe that wordes spoken iently and peasably be sweter then honye ¶ Example of the Vertue of Verytye ¶ The .xlvii. Chapter OF the vertue of Verytye or Truethe it is redde in the lyfe of Holye Fathers that there was a Ryche Kynghte whythe dyd forsake hys Rychesse for to serue God And wente into an Abbey where he made hym selfe a relygyous man And dyd renounce the worlde altogyther It chaunced on a daye that the Abbot for nede of money purposed to sell two olde Asses that had ben long time in the Abbey He bethoughte hym that he wold send them to be solde by the sayd new religyous man for he thoughte that he had the practyse therof And that afterward he wolde die other that shulde be yonger this knight did take the charg of them albeit parthe against hys will And did not deny it by reason of obedience he beinge in the market wyth one of the lay brethren of the sayd Abbey whych led the said Asses when it was demaunded of hym if the Asses were good he aunswered think you that if they were good that our father Abbot wold sell them The other demaunded of hym wherfore theyr tayles were so pylled he aunswered they be very olde and doe fall many tymes in the myre And when a man wyl lift them vp he muste take them by the tayles and that is the cause that they haue theyre tayles soo pylled wherfore they coulde not sell theyr Asses but broughte them home agayne The Abbot dyd demaunde of the laye brother howe it chaunced that they had not sold theyr Asses And he showed hym the cause Then the Abbot caused thys relygyous man to come afore and dyd rebuke hym he aunsweryd the Abbot and sayde that he was not become a relygyous man to thintent to deceyue anye person nor to Lye but that he had forsaken all hys richesse to serue hym whyche was full of all trueth wyth the whyche aunswere the Abbot was very wel content ¶ Howe Lyenge is an euell vyce the maners to eschew it And in what sort and which is euyl Lyenge ¶ The .xlviii. Chapter LYenge is a Vyce contrarye to Trueth And it is to hyde and couer the Trueth with colour of words to deceyue another man There be diuers maners of Lieng that is to saye Lyenge whyche is tolde in maner of newes there is Lyenge whyche is tolde for to eschewe to speake euyl wythout preiudice of any person And these two be not prohybed in the Scrypture But there is lyenge with falsehed whyche is tolde to the domage of another there is Lyenge as not to holde and keepe promyse there is Lyenge

accustomed These three maners be prohybed there be some whych lye wyllynglie in swearing and wyth theyr knowledge do forsweare them which is a verye euill Lyenge ¶ Salomon saith that the mouth whiche doth lye kylleth the soule that it were better to be a Theefe then a continuall Lyer ¶ Of the whyche Plato speaketh sayenge that he whyche dothe afferme that thynge whyche he doth not knowe of that thynge whyche he shall know he shalbe holden for suspecte And saith that the person whyche hath ben accustomed to lie shal not be beleued when he shall shewe the trueth ¶ What Mercy is and of the operacyon of the same And howe Mercye is that wherby a man obteyneth the Loue of God ¶ The .xlix. Chapter MErcye as S. Austyne saithe is to haue compassyon of hys owne soule and of the myserye and wretchednes of another ¶ Saynte Thomas saythe that the operacyon of Mercie is to pardon the offences done vnto thee And to chastyce and correcte hym whyche hath nede therof to counsaile him which standeth in doubt to comforte them whych be in dyscomforte And to praye to god for another ¶ Plato sayth that the person can not haue a more profytable thyng then the Vertue of Mercie that is to saye to vysyte the sycke to feede them that be hungry to gyue them drynke that be thrystye vysyte the prysoners clothe the naked lodge them that doe lacke lodgynge And to burye the deade persons ¶ Alexandre saythe that the power and the myghte of the man encreaseth in two maners that is to say to get fryendes by mercye ¶ Longyn saythe that he whyche shal haue mercy of another he shal ynde mercie for him selfe ¶ Oure Lorde Ihesue saythe pardon other gladlye if thou will haue pardon One of the thynges y t the moste pleaseth almyghtye God is that yf a man haue offended thee And that thou canst take vengeaunce of him for it that thou do for gyue hym ¶ Salomon sayth that he which gladlye dothe gyue to the poore shall neuer be in miserie and pouer tie And sayth that he which doth stoppe his eares at the voyce of the poore shall crye and not be harde of the mercy of god ¶ Saynte Gregorye saythe that he whyche gladlye fulfyllethe the workes of mercie shall not dye of euyll deathe And that hys praier shalbe herde ¶ Example of Mercye ¶ The .l. Chapter OF the vertue of Mercye it is red in the histories of Rome that there was a theefe brought afore kynge Alexandre And he demaunded him wherfore he did rob he aunswered I rob vpon the sea and thou vpon the earth I am called a theefe bicause that I am alōe and because thou goeste honestly that thou art alwaies accompanied with manye folkes thou art called king But know thou king Alexandre that pouertie constraineth me to be a theefe but thou art much worse a stronger thefe then I am for thou doest rob for coueitousnes and the more that thou haste the more thou desirest and if thou haue more worse thou wyl do And I do not rob but for necessity of my liuig And when kinge Alexandre harde his freenes plainnes he had mercy of him and made him one of his Knyghtes and one of the beste and moste faithfull of his companye ¶ Of Crualtye And howe manye sortes be therof And of the greate euylles and inconuenients that bee done by Crualtie ¶ The .li. Chapter CRualtye is a Vice contratye to mercye ¶ Arystotile saith that there is fyue maners of crualtie The first is neuer to haue pytye of anye man The seconde is to brynge another man into mysetye The thyrde is not to wyll to pardon iniuryes done to him The fourth is to ponyshe another more then it doth appertayne The fyfte is to be actyfe of courage And to hurte and offend another without reason Crualtye maye be compared to the Serpente called Baselyke whyche is so venimous and so cruell that he dothe kyll the folkes wyth hys sight And if he find non other thinge to kylle he wyll cause the trees that be nyghe vnto hym to drye awaie and to dye with his blowynge on them he hathe so venomous a wind and breath within hym ¶ Sydrac saythe that he is not lyke to the Lyon in hys house whiche hathe no mercye of hys Subiectes ¶ Hermes sayth gyue perdon and mercye to the person in hys aduersytyes to the intente that thou be not occasyon to cause hym to dispayre ¶ Cassydore saythe that the moste outragious crualtye that can be is to desire to be rych with the gooddes of another man ¶ Senec saythe that Vertu is the moste gracyous thynge in the worlde for by it a manne knoweth the euyll men And the good thynges for there is not so euyll a manne in the worlde but that he woulde haue that thynge that he hathe of another mannes to be ryght wynnynge ¶ Of Lyberalytye howe it is contrarye to Coueytousnesse And how a man ought to be Liberall in what maner ¶ The .lii. Chapter LYberalytye after Aristotile is largnesse or it is to gyue commyssyon to worthy persons for that whiche is gyuen to vnworthy persons is loste And to gyue to them whyche hathe inoughe is to caste water in the Sea And to gyue more then a man may beare it is not Liberlytye but it is Prodygalytye It is redde in the Summe of Vyces that Prodygalytye is to spend hys owne wythout measure or reason And therfore in the Lawe the Prodygall persones be called Fooles Yet notwythstandyng Coueytousnesse is of lesse profyte then prodygalytye after Saynte Thomas whych doth proue it by three reasons The fyrste is that the offyce of Prodygalytye dothe accord better wyth Vertue of Lyberalytye whyche is to gyue then dothe Coueytousnesse which is to hold The second is y t the prodigall person is more profytable to other then the Coueytous Person is The thyrde reason is that the Prodygal person dothe sooner amende and forsake his vice of Prodigalitye then the auaricious person his coueitousnes of Prodigalitie discendeth pouertye ¶ And Iob saythe that pouertye is heauynesse of hearte shame and dysprayse and roote of al euyl The Vertue of Lyberlyty may be cōpared to y e Egle which is the most lyberall Byrde that is for if he be neuer so hungrye yet wyll he leaue the halfe of hys praye to them that come after hym A man lightly cannot see the Egle flye in sekinge his praye but there is alwaies some other fowle that dothfolow him for to haue parte of that the Egle shal leue ¶ Salomon speakynge of Lyberalytie saythe that if thou doe a good dede consydre to whom thou doest it for almos dothe quenche and kil syn in lyke case as the fyre is quenched wyth water ¶ Alexandre saythe gyue and another shal gyue vnto thee And that that thou