they do At the whyte freers at the graye freers at the freer austyns at the blacke freers and in euery parysshe chirche ye shall fynde alwayes grete haboundaunce of folkes that dothe nothynge but walke vp downe in deuysynge of dyuers maters and yf that the corpê° domim be lyfted vp they wyll scarsely knele downe and take of theyr cappes Alas poore fooles wheron Bernardus do ye thynke knowe ye not for a trouthe that he is the kynge of all kynges and saueour of all the worlde ye go daterynge of your seruauÌ„tes and of your housholde w e out thynkynge vpon god or his sayntes Al your vayne wordes please not to god but good prayers orysons whan that they be made iustely and with a meke and a lowe herte Wherfore leue your walkynge vp and downe in the chirche and kepe your pues in praynge dâ—â—outly vnto god or elles truely ye put your soules in greate Jeoperdy of perdycyon ¶ Of them that enclyne them voluntaryly to suffre dethe ca. xliiii ¶ Who that of his owne propre wyll Dothe hange hymselfe by ygnoraunce Or with a guy sarme dothe hym kyll Withouten shryfte or repentaunce He is a foole at eche dystaunce So to purchace dethe eternall And to be in tormentes fynall DRawe you nere vnto my doctryne lunatyke fooles that hangeth and sleeth yourself that seketh occasyon for to dystroye yourselfe Ecclesia iii. Mathei vii bothe body soule vnderstonde this that I shall saye vnto you He is a fole that prayeth god with ioyned handes the knees bowed to that Luce. vi Juuenaliâ— Persius erthe betynge with his handes vpon his brest saynge God eternall pardone me my folye to the ende that I may gete scyence purge my conscyence He thynketh and ymagyneth yf that he shall leue his gowne and his folysshe hode but that notwithstandynge he holdeth it alwayes He weneth to haue made a synguler prayer to god the whiche seeth hym and all that he asketh is not vttred vnto hym Euer this foole prayeth And his herte Mathei xx Marci x. can not tell what he demaundeth of god After he letteth hymselfe fall in to the welle of his owne voluntary wyll And then he cryeth murdre I drowne myself and that they sholde socoure hym hastely And whan he is at the botome of the water he prayeth sayntes and sayntesses that they wolde gyue hym socoure and haue mynde on hym saynge I requyre you sende me a corde for to drawe me out of this daunger This fole that wolde as Ad ro viii Horatius empedocles saye yf that he myght escape out of that dauÌ„ger by his grete folye deyeth there for lacke of socoure and dampneth bothe his body and his soule Empedocle of euyl renowne suffred dethe by his folye of the whiche thynge he had grete wronge Then yf this foole cast hymself in to the fyre with a pyteous crye for to kylle hymselfe he dothe a ryght grete foly But after that the moost daunger is yf that he be not casten in to the pyt of hell He the whiche casteth hymselfe in to the mouÌ„tayne of aethnas the whiche is all on a flambynge fyre parauenture by dyscomforte in all he hathe loste his wytte He knoweth well that he is blynde by inconstaunce bycause that he hathe done many merytoryous dedes and wyll assaye our lorde Ihesu cryste He hathe his herte full of rygour for to haue wyll to tempte the creatour for the scrypture telleth vs that we sholde not tempte hym the poore fole brenneth hymselfe thus and his souâ—e gothe in to hell There is dyuerse fooles the whiche foloweth this baner praynge god nyght and daye and neuer dyde merytoryous dede for they dyde euer dysprayse hym and yet they demaunde of god that they myght haue paradyse ê“uet xxviii Eccle. iii. â—t xxv and grete rychesses good yeres and plenteuous bothe of whete wyne and other fruytes honour in this worlde and that fortune may be fauourable to them For to praye in this maner of wyse it is no grete sygne or vertue for atter that maner of fourme to desyre godes folkes go not to paradyse for soo sholde none praye It is wryten in scrypture that and one prayed ten yere so h 〈…〉 Esaye 〈◊〉 â—uce xx shoâ—de not obtayne his prayer And they do more hurt 〈…〉 to theyr soules than good that prayeth after that maner of fourme ¶ Of the felycyte and payne to come of the delytes perpetuall ca. xlv◠¶ Dyuerse fooles do drawe the carte Full of vyces bothe daye and houre And wyll not ones to god reuerte They be so hote on theyr laboure Dommagynge euer theyr neyghboure That it is pyte for to se How enuyous they to them be COme out of woddes and of vyllages folysshe â—arters and laboure this chapytre where as ê“uer xiiiâ— pÌ„s xxxi et xci sapien xiii ê“uerbi v. Eccle. ii Eccle. xii xâ— Treno â—iii ye shall fynde good erthe that bereth odyfferous fruyte and floure of good doctryne The fole that breketh his body by incessyfe laboure in tyllynge of his erthe I can not put in oblyuyon And al the other fooles deyeth by theyr grete laboure and payn in this lyfe terryen for they be euylly condycyoned and in vyces take grete payne And this payne and laboure rendreth deth to them for theyr guerdon And thus god seeth that the mortall men wyll not knowe hym neyther his holy and blessyd sayntes be they confessours or martyrs vyrgyns wyues or wydowes nor wyll not be of his perfyte and true seruauntes nor of his welbeloued frendes but euer prospereth in theyr voluptuous volentees and wyll not obserue and kepe his commauÌ„dementes wherfore he sendeth theym maladyes and sodayne dethe or mortalyte Now well that god almyghty wyll and ordeyneth that yf man wyll not be statued 〈◊〉 he watche to lyue wel after the true rule of laboure in al ceasons It foloweth not for all that in this worlde that they passe the tyme without doynge ony good dedes for al theyr labourynge For yf they drawe the charettes by Sapien. xix enuye couetyse to haue goodes yet euery body ought to knowe that we be but suffred here for a certayne space and yf that we commytte ony synne we shall be greuously punysshed in helle wout euer departynge from thens Poore lunatyke yf that thou wylte wynne the realme Uirgi vi en Seneca Mathei vii Pro. ii â— iiii Uirgilius Eccle. xxxiii Luce. xii of paradyse thou muste not folowe suche a waye the waye to helle is playne and is not dyffycyle for to fynde for there is dyuerse the whiche impetrethit and that ha steth them theder warde for the grete euylles that be in this worlde these same shewe the waye for to go theder and they be so grete a multytude that the one letteth an other and yet it is ryght large but that notwithstandyÌ„ ge it is all full for the grete nombre of fooles that gothe theder is all
and blessyd faynt Augustyn gaue his rule vnto his Monachi felowes and brederen that they sholde in all calamyte and myserye and debonayrte and humylyte be in this Augustinus vii q. i. noÌ„ auÌ„t Moyses deutro xviii xxi q. iii. 〈◊〉 qui et c. sacer dotum ê“uer xxi u. petri iii. glo ii q. vii non omnis xl dis c. fi worlde lyuynge solytaryly but at this presente tyme ye inaye se how well it is kepte and how straytely it is full rudely obserued god wote O blessyd saynt Augustyn thou wrote thy lawes and thy statutes so worthely at this presente tyme none obserueth nor kepeth them but premytteth and adnychylleth theym The preestes bereth not within theyr corporal bodyes so excellent vertues as they that reygned in the tyme of Moyses All euyll conuersacyon remayneth in them of this presente tyme they go on vyages and pylgrymages accompanyed with men and women and vnder the vmbre of gode fayth polluteth the chirche and the fayth of god For theyr abhomynacyons theyr soules shall be greuouslye tormented in the fyre of helle inestymable where as they shall knowe the paynes that they haue had to gouerue theyr cures and benefyces of the whiche I holde my pease for this presente tyme. And more ouer saynt Jerome dresseth his wordes vnto the preestes saynge in this wyse O preestes euery daye whan ye celebre your bodyes is made the sepulcre of our lorde Ihesu cryste How maye falsenes yssue out of thy mouthe whan all trouthe and veryte entreth in to it How may your eyen beholde doublenes and vycyousnes the whiche beholdeth the soule of helthe How dare ye be so bolde for to kysse a harlot the whiche kysseth the sone of the vyrgyn marye you be Judas in kyssynge our lorde Ihesu cryste doynge suche vycyousnes How maye ye stratche forthe your handes vnto vyllaynous thynges the whiche of tentymes holdeth the body of our lorde the whiche the blessyd auÌ„gelles may not do Alas thou puttest the body of our sauyour the whiche is so pure and clene in to thy mouthe foule and abhomynable Thynke and rethynke whan thou doost that thynge whan thou takest the ordre of preest hode for thou ought not to receyue the ordre withoute consyderynge of dyuers thynges ¶ Of folysshe proude iactaunce lxxii ¶ Some saye they be good medecynes Experte in physyke and moche thynge Puttynge the people in ruynes And the poore men sore oppressynge By excessyue money takynge And all is by theyr proude iactaunce And by theyr symple cognyssaunce APproche you nere my doctrynes fooles replete with iactaunce and come and here my xii q. ii gloriâ— episcopâ— xii q. 1 〈◊〉 ê“uer xxviii lesson where as ye may here and lerne some thynge to the helthe and saluacyon of your soules I medecyne physycyen wolde haue taken awaye the here from a poore mannes chekes and had none aspecte vnto myne owne the whiche were gretter swollen were more replete with hete than the poore mannes Now come we vnto the congregacy on of the fooles full of iactaunce the whiche ben bounden with a threde the whiche breketh often as is sene the dede of hym the whiche recyteth his hyghe faytes and cheualrous dedes and also of valyaun 〈…〉 and one hathe sene the cyte of Rome and the ryghtes to gouerne The one vaunteth hymselfe that he hathe done manye notable actes in warre And the other sayeth that he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ptes pscripti ryght happy to be yssued out of the lyguage of Tullyus that was so florysshynge in his tyme the whiche conquered dyuers regyons One the whiche hathe redde the cronycles wyll chese out a valyaunt kynge duke or erle wyll saye that he is descended from hym As of Romulus or of Jason As some wyll saye that the duke of Burgoyne is descended bycause that he bereth for his ordre the pÌ„s lxi ê“uer xxviii golden fleese and the fuze to smyte fyre with And as the kynge of fraunce bereth in his ordre saynt Myghell the shelles There is some that sayeth that they be of a noble progenye and parauenture they be not of soo noble Juuenalis Seneca a parente as they speke of For oftentymes they ben vsurers sones or detractours or blasphemers ful of rychesses i. Corin. iiii de pÌ„beÌ„ venerabilis the whiche by extorcyon wynneth noblesse Dyuers haue well this symplenes to make themselfe noble and fyerse that of noblenesse hadde neuer the meryte nor of vertues that gyueth noblesse preemynence and haue yet aboue in the realme of heuen Neuerthelesse it Bart. in l. i. C. de incol libro primo was not of them that waÌ„ne it by goodes there came neuer yet honeste alonely by rychesse Thou the whiche useth folysshely the fayre tytle full of noblesse tell me who gyueth the hardynes yf that thou haue it not by vertue how hast thou had vesture What hast thou done that thou ought to haue this hye pryce or telle me who hathe gyuen Ihrlm meÌ„phitico it the thou mayst saye I haue hardyed myselfe in grete faytes of armes My wyfe also is renowmed vertuous so that my name is eleuate and coÌ„mended in solyme and refulgente in menphetyque and in fraunce and in the londe of maiticole and dyuers other regyons and countrees where as I haue had domynacyon and seygnourye by my faytes of armes by the whiche thou hast conquered noblenesse The doctour that neuer had Doctores xlix di sacer dotes glo in l. i. C. de a the lib. x. scyence wyll saye in the same wyse There is noo degree but that it is wonne by moneye And alonely bereth the name of a doctoure and knoweth neyther lawe nor chapytre He shall auaunce hymselfe to speke vayne and folysshe wordes thynkynge to domyne ouer euery body He is one of the moost soueraynst how well that he can nothynge he hathe lerned the name of the boke And by his desyres he holdeth many fooles by the handes in iactaunce and vaynglorye excellence rychesses the whiche is but vanyte and wynde Some wyll haue bruyte and noyse to be good syngers the whiche be erraunt in the greate crede dyscordynge with dame musyke and whan they be in a vyllage thynkynge to synge oute of mesure to wynne laude they marre all and be mocked ê“uer xxvi Suche men be as beestes ¶ Of players ca. lxxiii ¶ The players take all theyr solace To playe by an ardaunt courage Nyght and daye without ony grace Doynge eche other grete outrage By takynge cotes and gownes to gage Hauynge to god no garde at all The whiche is aboue eternall AWaken your spyrytes folysshe players that applyeth yourselfe in dyssolate playes where as ye wynne none honoure Playe you in In anteÌ„ de sanc epi. intdicimus bal. in l. i. C. de â—di oâ— caâ— virgi 〈◊〉 this boke and ye may wynne a thynge that shall be better than golde or syluer to the profyte
vnto this foole that â—c vi 〈◊〉 vii xxiiii q. i. c. se. Luce. xxii ê“uer xiiii Eccle. xxxvii Hiere â—xix Ad coâ— iii. can suffre none aduersyte But the wyse man dothe not so for he prepareth hym to suffre aduersyte and to serue god deuoutly in eschewynge vyces One fole coueyteth to make mo Wherfore auoyde theyr company Foole yf thou be full of vnhappynes and deuoyde of vertues at the leest entyse none other but let them prospere in goodnes and vertues ¶ Of the obmyssyon of good werkes ca. C. ii ¶ He the whiche hathe his lampe replete With oyle he may the better se Also he that hathe vertues grete And accomplyssheth them truele He lyueth in grete prosperyte And he the whiche dothe here lyue well Shall neuer come in fyre of hell UNnderstonde my wordes poore fooles the whiche haue not fructefyed the tyme paste but are abyden in the fylthe of synne with Boetius Mathei xxv Luce. xiii PsÌ„ vi your hertes plonged in mortall vyces I requyre you mondayne folkes to seke salute for your thoughtes is fyxed in tenebres of Ihesu cryste none doubteth the flagellacyons The lyfe humayne is defyled the hertes is bewrapped in the obsurtees of hell O mortall man thou arte to blame whan thou asseÌ„blest xii q. i. ois et Ad hebre xii de cle noÌ„ resi relatum so many vyle synnes Thou thynkest that thou arte dyspensed for to do euyll for the goodes that thou hast done in tymes past O vyle synner what may thy goodes profyte the yf thou hast had thy herte clene from all vyces what shall prouffyte the the sacrefyce of ensence nor al thyn offrynges and offyces What shall prouffyte the the grete fructuousnes of the chirche what shal prouffyte the Luce. xii de renuÌ„ c. i. de eta et qua intelleximus Mathei x. l. q. vii suggesiuÌ„ i. Reg. xii Math. xxiiii l. corin xiiii xxvi q. vi si â—sbiter in glo Math. xxv Sapien. iii. Ecclesi xi the fayre auters the pardons that thou haste wonne that that thou hast ben vertuous in thy youthe and thou art now olde leueth the good ensygnementes vertues Certaynly yf thou perseuer not vnto the ende thou lesest thy tyme for the ende crowneth God the ryghtwys Juge wyll iuge euery mortall man at the houre that he fyndeth hym good withoute takynge respyte Whan it cometh to the dethe he shall call them shall make theym gyue accomptes of theyr good dedes and euyll shal rewarde them therafter For yf they haue done well they shall haue well yf theyr lampes be voyde of oyle they shall haue moued theyr spyrytes all vertues For to haue lyght he wyll fyll his lampe full of oyle and â—esyreth it with an vnuertuous wyll he is a foole so to demaunde the dyuyne lyght thynketh not on hell nor on the dyuers iugementes that god shall doo to hym And yf the wyse man do some good and deye sodaynly god pardoneth hym for after theyr good dedes they shal be remunered Deute viii â—d hebre ii Seneca Eccle. vii Math. vi de â—â—a dis vii c. nemo Ezechieâ— 33. the good to haue heuen and the euyll to haue hell Synners that lyue in synne more obstynate hardar than stones wherfore haue you not mercy on yourselfe â–ª Wherfore thynke you not vpon the dredefull daye of do me that is so horryble and so peryllous by the whiche we must passe Thynkest thou not that thou must offre thy fayre or foule body at the monument and that parauenture thy soule shall go in to the flambynge fyre of helle O what doloure what horryble sentence vpon vs mortall folkes full lytell prayse we our dedes for to come The realme of god we beholde nothynge with our eyen eleuate But haue regarde vnto the thynges interyours without thynkynge vpon the dethe that is soo sodayne nor at our houre the whiche is lymytted that we haue no reste assygned whan we shall departe oute of this worlde ¶ Of the praysynge of sapyence ca. C. iii. ¶ We may nowe take with the ryght hande Bothe palme and the ryche crowne abyde And on the lefte syde there dothe stande The cap of fooles bothe large and wyde Whiche is strowed on euery syde Leuynge the crowne of sapyence Descended from the hye essence LUnatyke fooles astonyed that pardoneth the moost often yf Thalya touche you pardone vs for we wyll speke expressely and enploye our wyt Justyce for to knowe what gyftes ê“uer xiii vi et viii Matheâ— vii JohaÌ„ xxvii thobie â—â—ii xl di c. finat vide gl xliii disâ—n simu 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 de maâ—â— et obe c. h 〈…〉 f. ought to be gyuen vnto the hye and worthy sophye in the whiche the man hathe truste for to haue vertues and grete scyence dyuers with honoure haue ben clothed coueytynge to haue the hyghe tytles and hyghe names of the true degre of sapyence O one that had neuer excellent tytle but vsurpeth the name magystrall and hadde neuer scyence The other ambycyous gothe and taketh it not for to ensygne and teche the people but for to haue praysynge to the ende that they say that he is wyse this engendreth vycyousnes Aduyse you vnto what they wyll entende to the ende that in dyuerse banquettes and feestes they be somoned the fyrste and in lyke wyse at grete assembles bycause that they haue tytle without scyence for it is wryten that scyence is gods with his fader aboue in heuen but of scyence I tell you that we haue none in the worlde but that in the whiche we founde vs in hym was accomplysshed it is not scyence abdie â—mo i. corinth 〈◊〉 Esaye 33. Judith vii actuuÌ„ xiiâ—â— but foly There is dyuers at this present tyme in the worlde that for theyr grete and profounde studye haue abour and payne the whiche wyl euer remayne in that grete myschefe by theyr owne voluÌ„tary wyll by the whiâ—he they thynke verely in doynge this werke that they â—cquyre the realme of paradyse for all that they be well â—â—ynde for our lorde seeth that they haue theyr hertes to harde wherfore he taketh them not nor receyueth them not bycause they be in tenebres may not walke in the Luce. xiii Eccle. vii ryght waye the whiche is strayte dyffycyle and thornye But do chese soner the euyll the whiche ledeth them vnto the pyt of hell full of serpentes Who that wyll ensue folye and lyue in her he shall not be without synne but who that kepethhym in wysdome shall be rewarded at Plato de quo Hiero i ê“logo biblie the laste We se euery daye the renowne of platon and the other the whiche at this presente tyme is florysshyÌ„ge in the worlde lyke as they were on lyue At this daye none holdeth them on the partye of dame prudence by the whiche the mondaynes chese not the waye to heuen warde ¶ Of the dyspraysynge of his
auctorytees of lawe and of decrete reuolue ye must the forsayd lawe in your myndes ententyfly â—her vpon examyne eche partye and after gyue the sentence to the ende that he whiche thou wylte Juge accuâ—e the not before the grete Juge of heuen of false Jugement And yf that it be so he shall condempne the wtout â—ppele I byleue that thou thyÌ„kest that our lorde knoweth â—ot the synnes done here in erthe yes truely the leest â—hought of man Wherfore trust me for yf thou wylte â—epe the regle of egall Jugement shewe good couÌ„sayl â—t is expedyent that whan thou hast ony grete processe cyâ—yll crymynell ecclesyastyke or of excesse or touchynâ—e herytages ye must demaunde counsayl of the 〈◊〉 â—yscrete and wyse men for semblably as thou Jugeth â—nother thou shalt be Juged and tormented by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ex eo Juge of helle God almyghty after our dethe shall Juâ—e bothe feble and stronge there ye shal fynde the poore â—olke the whiche ye haue oppressed by rapyne extorcyoÌ„â—or who that executeth not egall Jugement in this preâ—ent 〈◊〉 de iâ—di l. rem â—oÌ„ nonaÌ„ vale of mesery shall be accused before the 〈◊〉 whiche gyueth iuste and egall sentence after the gooâ—â—r the euyll that they haue done in this mortall lyfe 〈◊〉 〈…〉 e scyence and all the sapyence of men shall not excuse â—hem For who that wolde gyue all the golde cheuaâ—â— De â—e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—i 〈◊〉 〈…〉 e of the worlde shall not escape For â—e is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 eternall and imperyall aboue all Juges ¶ Of auaryce and prodygalyte ca. iii. ¶ Of the folysshe shyppe there dothe occupye The seconde parte the auarycyous That wyll not gyue a poore man one peny He is so harde and so malycyous Beynge on his rychesse so curyous That is lente hym but for a small ceason The poore at nede to defende by reason ALl theym the whiche assembleth golde and syluer by grete foyson ben repreued as is this poore foole the whiche gadereth golde syluer and grete fynaunce and of his goodes Psal. xxvii taketh no solace whan he hathe gadered grete plente and deyeth Alas he bereth nothynge Ecclesia v. ps xviii with hym he leueth his treasour and fynaunce vnto his chyldren neuewes or kynnesmen the whiche after his dethe maketh grete chere with it they dysprybute it in C. de cura fur l. i. pompous araye and in voluptuous dylectacyons carnalle 〈…〉 to theyr grete dystruccyon of body and soule all for the goodes that the deed body had assembled in grete thought and calamyte the whiche parauenture is in the obscure pyt of helle in grete mysery and extynguysshyble tormente It had ben more expedyente for hym to haue ben satysfyed with a lytell for all that the whiche he hathe assembled togyder prouffyteth hym nothynge but he must endure payne anguysshe cruel rage and of the drynke of Acherons floode infernall in fecte and stynkynge his body is replenysshed with Yet I fynde a gretter euyll of the Prodygue that dyspendeth all his propre goodes in excesse and wast and can not prouyde a remedy therfore ¶ Suche folkes ben deiecte from al good meurs and condycyons and ben replenysshed with all vyces to the dyscrete men cometh the good for the prodygues and vycyous wyll none therof ¶ Be they not then redotynge fooles that assemble soo moche rychesse and purchaseth not the salute of theyr soules Alas louest thou better for to suffre payne inestymable with all the deuylles of helle than leue thyne insacyate desyre of gaderynge of rychesse thy goodes can not aledge the of thy payne of them thou can not be comforted but shall bewrappe the in the moost profoundnes of the extynguysshyble pyt infernal And that worse is yf thyÌ„ enherytours myght by the for a peny with grete payne wolde they do it for yf thou were in this worlde it were behouefull for the to rendre thy goodes agayne I may name vnto the Tantalus the whiche is in the goulfre Tantalus de quo lactaÌ„tius of helle he enrageth for huÌ„gre and thurst and is in the water vnto the chynne but whan he thynketh for to drinke it aualeth so lowe that he can not drynke of it And there is also a pere tree besyde hym vpon the whiche pere tree is a pere that toucheth almoost his nose whan he stratcheth hymselfe vp for to catche it the tree ryseth vp and in this maner of wyse he enrageth for hungre and thurst Consyder what torment it is it were better for the auarycyous to gyue all his goodes than for too be in suche a torment remaynynge there perdurably Wherfore I supply and beseche all the auarycyous meÌ„ in the name of our lorde Ihesu cryst that wolde dye for our sake vpon the tree of the crosse that ye molefy your hertes and that ye do almesdedes durynge this transytory lyfe for after that ye be ones departed out of thys worlde your goodes and rychesse can not helpe you in no wyse ¶ And yf soo be that ye lyue well and egally in this vale of myserye ye shall purchase and acquyre the glorye eternell Rede this that Tullyus resyteth here sayenge Tullius in paradoxis that neuer wyse man wolde regne in this worlde puyssauntly but with good herte moderate thoughte demaunded pacyence pease and sapyence and to flee eschewe pleasure moundaynes for the wyse man maye well do it Of the ordures mouÌ„daynes we haue wryten in the decretalles how Crassus desyred for to haue a grete i. q. i. ê™ qÌ„dem l. crassus somme of golde and syluer the whiche he obteyned and had grete haboundaunce It befell within a shorte tyme after that he was 〈…〉 nprysoned by the Parthes and all was for bycause of his treasour Resemble al vnto so crates the whiche sayd that rychesse was enemy vnto scyence moyennynge of which he that had so moche rychesse threwe all his goodes in to the see in suche wyse that no body coude blame hym ¶ Poore moundaynes thynke well vpon this that I haue rehersed to you for truely there is manere in euery thynge for the happy eurous helde the hye waye ¶ Of newe guyses customes ca. iiii ¶ He that desyreth euer thynges newe For to begynne amonge the poore men all Parauenture he maye it ones sore rewe Whan he cometh before god eternall There to be Juged in sentence fynall Where after his deserte he shall haue mede yf he haue done well he shall ryght well spede EUery body ought for to gouerne them after the auncyentes and good customes but that whiche was of olde antyquyte vycyous crymynell and dyshonest is at this present tyme taken for honeste by newe vsages newe customes haue al the bruyte at this tyme amonge dyuerse folkes I can not well conspyre in my herte the which is the moost foole of them twayne that vse the olde or
them wherfore I conclude and say that they be ryght myserable and vnhappy that fyreth theyr hertesvpon worldly rychesse wherthrughe procedeth oftentymes grete calamytes Thou vauntest thâ—selfe Augustinus of thy rychesse saynge that no body dothe the wronge Thou wenest that thy goodes shall yelde the eurous Thou bosteth the of thy fynaunce saynge that the goodes cometh to the whyles thou slepest and that all gothe after thy pleasure and that thou haste castelles houses and rentes golde and syluer by grete hepes Fortune laugheth oftentymes and holdeth the man in prosperyte but in a momente she tourneth her whele aboute her false face also and then this poore caytyfe falleth in to dystresse and bytter sorowes and so it behoueth him tolyue wretchedly and so fynysshe his dayes Lo in this maner of wyse fortune rewardeth her subgectes Wherfore I saye that he is a perfyte foole that putteth his esperaunce in the goodes of fortune and that he is the deuylles sone for bycause of the trust that he hathe in the goodes of fortune he leueth to honoure god and his sayÌ„tes The deuyll tempteth hym so sore that he fyxeth all sâ—nâ—â—â— in hercule furente his herte vpon the rychesse mondayne and oftentymes he gyueth hym largely the whiche conduyteth hym to the grete pyt of helle withouten ony faute O foole the wâ—â—â—he â—â—er xxi â—â—ce v. Pluto Prouerbi i. vaunteth thyself of the gyftes of fortune I requyre the to herken vnto me yf that thou haue grete habounbaunce of goodes in this worlde reioyse the not therfore for and thou haue goodes to nyghte parauenture thou shalte haue none to morowe Therfore put not your affyaunce in suche thynges for dame fortune hathe no godes but god the whiche gyueth them where as it lyketh hym It is then grete foly for to prayse fortune so moche that fauoureth whome she pleaseth that was neuer without varyenge ¶ Oftogrete cury osyte ca. xxiiii ¶ He that procureth by grete payne The werkes of his seruauntes all And leueth his by grete dysdayne Undone and nought yet ther withall A veray foole men may hym call For he wyll take mo werkes on honde Than he and his men may withstonde ENtende to this chapytre curyous folkes that enterpryseth so many thynges and that bereth so grete burdens charges so that oftentymes your backe your instrumentes breke vnderneth the charge and all is by to moche De renuÌ„cia c. c. â—n lib. vi enterprysynge You the whiche bereth more than ye may susteyne ye be the cause of your owne dommage and grete myserye as it is shewed euydently And he is not reputed ouer wyse that by wanhope wyll corrumpe troubleth his brayne euery day for to comprehende pey â—uerbio xxv Ecclesia iii. Persius i. Cerennus Ad ro xii ê“uerbio xxv Eccle. 1. 〈◊〉 13. Juuenalis saunt werkes and molestacyons How be it that the thyÌ„ ge is ponderous that it were necessarye for hym that dyuers folkes put theyr handes vnto the forsayd operacyon for who that wyll take all the faytes of the elementes vpon his backe and charge hym with a thynge that he can not susteyne nor bere vnder the charge he muste falle then foly shall vsurpe hym bycause he enterprysed so ponderous a charge We fynde in the hystoryes that how well that kynge Alexander had wylled for to conquere Alexander all the worlde by strokes of swerdes yet he was not contente with the conouest of all the worlde for yf that he had myght he wâ—lde haue conquered more largely after that he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—f 〈◊〉 yâ— worlde Dethe the whiche spâ—râ—th no 〈◊〉 dy 〈…〉 wounde hym with his mortall â—arte aâ—d after he was put in a lytell sepulcre for all his 〈…〉 ll dygnyte And thus dethe admonesteth vs for to he contente with suche as we haue and to haue memorye of the fyne of our wretched bodyes Cinicus a grete phelosophre beynge in grece was Ecclesia vii â—yogenes philosophus Horatiuâ— neuer of the nombre of suche folkes for he neuer consented for to edefye castelles houses but totally dyspraysed suche edefyces and was contente for to holde hymselfe within a tonne full of holes in the whiche he hadde intellygence of the mouynges of the elementes and of the sterres And this same Cinicus was more Joyous than they that haue the fayre edefyces Is it not than grete tranquylyte vnto a man for to charge hym by reason not to vndertake a thynge that he can not bere Is it not grete foly vnto this poore fole for to take so grete a charge vpon hym and for to comprehende a thynge that he can not brynge to an ende and knoweth well 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 impossyble for hym to brynge his maters aboute and so this incensyfe foole must bere a charge or a burden vpoÌ„ his backe that he can not susteyne it nor endure it ¶ O poore fooles mondaynes that enterpryseth so moche hathe none aspecte nor regarde vnto the thynge the whiche ye enterpryse thynke ye for to vaynquysshe the worlde the whiche is so defycyle What auayleth you for to take charge thought payne melancoly trauayll anguysshes and dolours in this wretched worlde for to take on hande more than ye can perfourme And whan that Janenalis ê“uer xvii Capientie v. Mathei xvii god shall separe the body from the soule ye shal be in grete daunger for to descende in to the pytte of helle there to remayne perpetually He lyueth in profouÌ„de thought and melancoly that wyll knowe all the faytes of the worlde and where that Cezar maketh warre and that taketh charge of a thynge that he can not do for he hathe not one good houre of reste and tranquylyte It were more behouefull for suche fooles to haue aspecte vnto the fyne of theyr enterpryses thaÌ„ to take them so folysihely on honde to the ende that they be not deceyued for it is a comyn prouerbe all aboute man dothe purpose â–ª god dothe dyspose sapien viii ¶ Of them that taketh a truste ca. xxv ¶ He is a fole deuoyde of reason And ones shall be myserable That wyll borowe at eche ceason Golde and syluer transmutable And for to paye is not able Without he sholde sell cote and gowne And after go begge in the towne LUnatyke fooles the whiche boroweth golde syluer come and borowe of this doctryne to the ende that ye may haue perfyte intellygence of the daunger that ye be in and of the profounde thought that ye take therfore â—e haue perfyte knowlege that he the whiche boroweth is bonde vnto hym that lenneth it They lenne vnto the synner and he rendreth it not agayne but the iuste and mercyfull dothe not soo Entende to me ryche and poore I reâ—uyre you and ye shall knowe what good procedeth of â—orowynge ¶ He the whiche boroweth golde or syluer 〈◊〉 marchaundyse may well be called foole for this poo 〈…〉 lunatyke foole and dettoure boroweth of the one for 〈◊〉
paye the other and soo he can neuer ryse out of dette â—gayne for but yf that he sholde sell all his goodes he can â—ot paye them all the poore foole promyseth to paye hym the whiche is ryght greuous vnto hym bycause that the tyme passeth so lyghtly Durynge the space of tyme the Deutero xv ê“uerbio xxii vsury renneth alway wherfore he seeth that within a shorte space after it doubleth by halfe for and they haue lente hym a hondreth nobles he muste rendre vnto hym agayne two hondred And yf that he haue houses or rentes psal xxv Ecclesia iii. Esaye xxiiii it behoueth hym for to sell them for lytell or nought bycause that he is in daunger to be put in pryson or condempned for to paye it And whan that he hathe solde al Psal. lxxi ê“uer xxviii Luce. vi his landes no body wyll set no store by hym And thus the poore foole shall abyde all naked dyspoyled of hys goodes After that it behoueth hym for to make restytucyon and habandone his goodes or flee out of the countree And oftentymes the lenners leseth all the whiche Ecclesia vii et viii were more prouffyte for them to sell it for a iuste pryse take redy money In lyke wyse you lenners yé thynke not that god taketh your vsuryes for offences yes truely for he hathe defended it bycause that ye sell the space of tyme for ye sell the tyme the whiche is not yours but goddes that lenneth it to you Alas we wyll not do that whiche god commaundeth vs but rather do agaynste his commaundement and in doynge soo he sendeth vs his maladyccyon and mysery Note well that god often Ecc 〈…〉 a. xii xxiii q. iiii Nabuchodonosor tymes gyueth vs longe space for to lyue and all is for to amende our mysdedes in the whiche the deuyll hathe holden vs so longe He leueth vs not in this worlde for to commytte synnes but for to do penaunce and amende our wretched lyfe for whan we thynke full lytell dethe shall come and atrappe vs and our folysshe vnderstondynge with grete payne wyll repente hym for to haue coÌ„mytted so many euylles Thynke vpon Sodome Sodoma Gomorra and Gomorre where so many folkes perysshed and on the cyte of Sobyme the whiche cytees by theyr grete synnes perysshed pyteouslye as Nylycolas dyde how Gene. xxiii iiii Re. xxi Thobie xiii Michee iiii Exodi iii. Johelis iii. Amos. ix Esaie i. Prouer. xxii Thobie xiii Ezch. xxiii well that the folke of Nylycola were blessyd of our lorde Wherfore he that boroweth of euery body and can not paye it agayne is a fole resemblynge vnto a wulfe that deuoureth all at ones And he hateth nothynge soo moche as to fynde a thynge that pleaseth hym whan he is goynge out of the felde Also the dettour wolde neuer that the terme of payenge came for the borowynge maketh a man poore God suffreth vs to be in this worlde not to commytte vyle synnes but to the ende that we doo merytoryous dedes for whan the tyme shall come that we shall haue no space to do good dedes he shal punysshe vs lyke as the credytour dothe the dettour whan he faylleth at his terme ¶ Of petycyons vowes inutyle xxvi ¶ Who that on handes and fete dothe praye By false dyssymulacyon Cryenge on god bothe nyght and daye That he wolde graunte to them pardon And gyue them clene remyssyon They be fooles that with cryenge Thynketh to obteyne ony thynge AMonge you foles that maketh vowes and prayers to god of heuen vnderstonde this chapytre the whiche correcketh instrueth you to lyue well Afore that ye make prayers prepayre your soules for the iuste god wyll excuse and the synner shall not be herde in no wyse And therfore to the ende that ye reteyne some thynge I shall reherse vnto you the vowes reproued He that Eccle. xxiii Prouer. xx Eccle. vii Luce. xx i fi Joh. ix requyreth god withoute reason for a thynge that is not good and promyseth hym that and he graunte it that he shall do a pylgrymage or gyue of his goodes to the poore people It happeneth that his request is not iuste nor agreable to god wherthrughe cometh to hym some euyll fortune as it dyde to Mydas kynge of Frygye as the poetes recounteth bycause that he requyred of the Midas rex phrygum Ouidius metha xi Persius i. sa goddes to gyue hym grete haboundaunce of fyne golde the whiche they vttred to hym facyly wherfore it behoued hym to faste for all that he touched was conuerted in to fyne golde And bycause that he made his request Prouer. xxii there grewe on his heed two asse ere 's There is dyuerse that desyreth and prayeth for none other thynge to god Sapien. viii but for to haue theyr houses full of rychesse Alas open your conscyences and lyfte vp your hertes that be so oppressed and haue remembraunce that in olde antyquyte the rychesse was occasyon of many euylles What hath Lycinus Crassus Croesus Juuenalis Adhebre g. Prouer. xxii auayled the grete rychesses and possessyons to Lycynê° The rentes of Crassus The treasour of Cresus Sardanapalus They fynysshed theyr dayes in grete dystresse He the whiche floryssheth in youthe desyreth for to lyue longe in his force and pleasure How well that by glotony and excesse he shorteth his lyfe without consyderyÌ„ge that in olde aege there is many that endureth greate payne and anguysshe dolours and inestymable calamytes in theyr bodyes heedes armes and legges and all was of to moche etynge drynkynge in theyr youth And yet they were renowmed in theyr flourynge aege dyscrete and full of sapyence As it appereth of Nestor Peleus Nesior Laertes horatiê° i arte SapieÌ„tie v. Eccle. xi and of Lacertes and Peleus the whiche lyued lenger than necessyte requyred for they had many accydentes and outrages in theyr aege Bycause that it happeneth oftentymes that olde and auncyente men become chyldysshe agayne and fynyssheth theyr dayes myserably Some there be that desyreth to haue fayre wyues the whiche whan they haue ben conuersaunte with them a whyle and sene all the guyse they repente them all the dayes of theyr lyfe ensuyng after To this sayth the phylosophre yf thou haue a wyfe kepe her and yf thou haue none take none for dyuers euylles haue fallen therby Some desyreth puyssaunce mondayne the whiche is cause of theyr grete ruyne The other desyreth corporall beaute Juuenalis that causeth theyr soules for to descende in to the depe pytte of helle O fooles that forgeth newe vowes by your insacyate volente ful of maladyccions DemauÌ„de of god helthe of thy body salute for thy soule good fayth good renowme and to habounde in vertues to the ende that ye maye se face to face hym that deyed on the crosse for all the humayne lygnage ¶ Of studye inutyle ca. xxvii ¶ Who wyll not excercyse studye But renne aboute from place to place
i. h. fu Martialiâ— in his cofre alas what auaylleth it hyÌ„ for after the dethe none can not tel whether to go Before his eyen cometh scyence the whiche examyneth hym of his vyces myserable in shewynge hym the paynes of helle Consyder that by fortune all thynges peryssheth that ben vpon the erthe and taketh ende by naturall ryght the whiche were so fayre and so well fourmed and all by aege that hathe domynacyon ouer all Who is he but that he wolde gyue grete goodes to be assured of fortune What is he be he neuer so grete a lorde nor so puyssaunte of rychesse that fortune wyll promyse assure that he shall not fall in daunger there is none for she is mouable our poore vyces be bytwene the handes of the furyous As Lathesys with her handes spynneth a threde where as our lyues Lachesis dependeth vpon to the ende that we lyue longely Cloto holdeth the threde but Atropos the cruell messenger of dethe breketh the threde Lathesys fedeth vs with Atropos hony and maketh our poore soules to falle in to helle with the dampned Also Julyus Cezar was taken sodaynly Julius cezar with dethe beynge in the presence of all his lordes bothe more and lesse He was moche puyssaunt whan he domyned in Rome for fortune fauoured hym but in the ende she was to hym so peruers that he whiche was soo perfyte in prudence was vnclothed from his empyre and his fynaunce and goodes taken from hym Ha fortune thou arte the moost dyuers and transmutable that euer Cullius i of Eccle. xx was for thou gyuest the domynyon vnto some that shaketh and trembleth for fere leste that thou do to them some thynge contraryous Thou comest vnder a coloure of welfare and anoynteth a man with treason gyuynge vnto hym of thy goodes that thou hast taken from another and lefte all naked Thou seruest euery body with Sapientie v suche meses the grettest ben the smallest and the leest be the moost And whan she hathe withdrawen her goodes they be dysdeyned of euery man and is no more beloued These be the retrybucyons that thou gyuest dame fortune O my frendes be not so abused to take the goodes Eccle. xxi of dame fortune for yf that ye haue of the goodes of hers and that ye be exalted vpon the heyght of her whele yet whan it shall please god ye shall descende a grete waye more lower than ye wolde shal be dyspuruayed of euery thynge as ye haue sene by experyence that many other hathe ben Of the impacyence in sykenes ca. xxxvii ¶ Yf the syke man be oppressed With maladye full anguysshous And wyll not be well counsaylled By the medecyne gracyous He is a foole vylependyous Wherfore yf he haue aduersyte He is the cause therof truelye AMonge you foles impacyent that wyll not byleue the oppynyons of the physycyens medecynes haue your regarde hetherwarde and ye shall knowe the foly that holdeth you oftentymes Who that in malady and sekenes wyll not byleue the good counsayl of the physycyens they be gretely deceyued for they procure theyr helthe and prosperyte but they wyll not doo after theyr Eccle. x. et xxxviii Boetius Juuenalis Persius wylles as whan they ordeyne hym good wyne for to drynke he wyll drynke water the whiche augmenteth his sykenes and taketh other thynges that is defended hym and wyl not do nothynge that is sayd vnto hym nor endure no payne And al is bycause that he wolde be Eccle. xxxviii the soner in his graue and for to gyue you shortely the knowlege therof he wyll retorne hastely in to asshes agayne from the whiche he came fyrste And shall not ne Eccle. xviii Duidiê° â—re de no moo playsters nor medecynes Wherfore yf thou wylte be heled do that the whiche is necessary to the ende Eccle. xxxi Boetius de con philo that thou haue not a stronger sekenesse afterwarde for the sparcle that departeth frome the fyre taketh in the thynge that is nexte vnto it the whiche encreaseth vnto a grete flambe In lyke wyse a ryuer encreaseth moche by dyuerse lytell streames that falleth in to it so it is of sykenesse whan it begynneth for to regne by lytel streames and for to eschewe grete torment shewe your wounde and sykenesse vnto the physycyen to the ende the ye may be the soner heled for all superfluytes ben taken awaye by sone puttynge remedye therto And whan ye come vnto the physycyen make relacyon vnto hym of your infyrmyte howe sore and anguysshous soo euer it be to the ende that he may hele thy wounde thy grete sykenes for it sholde be vnpossyble for hym for to hele the wtout knowyÌ„ge of thyn infyrmyte the whiche myght be the cause of thyn owne dethe In lyke wyse yf that thou go vnto a preest for to be confessed and declare vnto hyÌ„ many grete and abhomynable synnes that thou hast coÌ„mytted here in this worlde and tell hym not all that euer thou offended god in syth thyn infancye or chyldhode as ferre as thou hast remembraunce of elles thyne absolucyon is of none effecte yet thou puttest thy loule in grete leoperdye and daunger Also it is grete shame for to sende after an experte physycyen and then to haue no volente for to do after his counsayll and commauÌ„ dementes nor byleue his dyscrete saynges that sholde i. thimo iiii be vnto thy helthe Thou wylte byleue soner an olde enchaunteresse or wytche the whiche gyueth a lytel breuet or a quycke herbe wherin lyeth all her dede or fayte as it pleaseth the thou touchest thy body with her enchauÌ„ted or charmed fynger the whiche by aduenture engendreth euyll helthe yf that thou gyue credence therto it is not sygne that thou wolde be guarysshed of thy maladye for thou puttest thy lyfe in grete daunger for to gyue credence vnto suche olde wytches wherfore yf ye wyll be heled of your infyrmytes byleue none but the experte physycyen for yf ye do otherwyse ye shal be in dauÌ„ger to lese bothe body and soule ¶ Of consultacyons to openly c. xxxviii ¶ Who dothe openly his wyll shewe And serteth his gynnes to apertly One may the daunger sone eschewe Be it a man or byrde truely For whan they knowe it they go by As who say we be all puruayed Wherfore the foole is euyll appayed POore fooles whiche haue your hertes a slepe ye be gretely abused to tel your thought and mynde vnto them that ye wolde decey Esopê° i apo Prouer. i. Duidiê° â—re ue and begyle gyue intellygence vnto this scrypture yf that ye wyll lyue wel and egally Who that pretendeth for to take byrdes in the feldes or in theyr nestes and setteth his nettes to euydently in theyr syght shall neuer take no byrdes for they wyl no resorte the derwarde as longe as they see them In lyke wyse he that menaseth one openly for to slee hym or betâ— Glo. in cle
Nychanor Anthoniê° and dyuers men perysshed by suche blasphemynges ¶ Of the plage and indygnacyon of god ca. lxxxiiii ¶ This same foole here meruaylleth sore Saynge it is agaynste nature That god sholde put vs euermore In paynes grete for to endure For our synnes and worldly pleasure Wherfore he that lyueth in synne Beware that he fall not therin UNderstonde my wrytynges folysshhe preestes and tell me what prouffyteth your scyences puer xiii Treno iii. iâ—i Deutro xxv Hiere xv Eccle. xxxvâ— Esai â—ii Luce. xxi Jacabi vi Johan viii Job xv Eccle. vii Erodi xv Deutro ii HohaÌ„nia xv Numeri xv â—ze xxxviii Esayâ— lix ii reguÌ„ vii Luce. xii Aâ— xviii Dui i epist. pÌ„s v. 〈◊〉 xiiii â—uer â—iiii Treno v. Hiere xxxix name of preestes it is but a faynt thynge of the prestes nowe a dayes The ensygnementes that god gaue vnto the fyrste faders is dysprysed by suche folkes They take alonely the name of preestes but they be lyke traytours that wyll not kepe the holy coÌ„maundementes Of all thynges that is vyle and dyshonest to the soules they wyll haue the a boue They take the holowe and leueth the kyrnell that is good for the herte They bere the name of preestes dysprayseth fayth Justyce and good condycyons vertue pleaseth them not nor is not agreable to them they gouerne the moost grettest synnes by the meane wherof they be confused in vylenes We dysprayse more oure lawe than the turke dothe his and do not soo grete syn in that lawe as we doo in oures O gendre humayne that thy body is vyoled with synnes Notwithstandynge he sayeth humaynes yf ye contynue in my coÌ„maundemen tes and kepe them I shall conduyte you vnto the realme of paradyse But also and ye dyspyse them I shall tormente you in grete myserye And shall sende you dyuers dartes of aduersytees euery daye that shall woun de you mortally ¶ And thus dothe Ihesus vnto the humaynes wandrynge in synne We se obscure molestasyons that god sendeth from his ryght hande as batayls imposycyons and warres intollerable passyons mor talytees and endure hetes coldes grete tempestes we se the grete epedymees we haue plages lyce fleen and other vermyne that trauaylleth vs and can not be redded of them in no maner of wyse All that we suffre in this valey of mysery is for our abhomynable synnes ¶ To honour fader moder ca. lxxxvi ¶ The chyldren and eche creatour Is bounde by nature and reason Fader and moder to honoure And them to helpe at eche ceason After theyr myght and encheason And yf they bete them by rudenesse They may be sure of grete dystresse HErken vnto my chapytre faders the whiche Eccle. iii. zq v. oeÌ„s qui. 1 thi v ê“uer xx et xxviii Beatê° tho ii haue chyldren for ye haue no grete reason to gyue al your goodes vnto your chyldren It were better for you to kepe all for yourselfe to helpe you in your aege with â–ª to the ende that in your laste dayes ye lyue not in mysery◠〈◊〉 pouerte And how well that the fader hathe gyuen ii q. c. xxii at v ê“uer xv iii. Ouidius 〈◊〉 meth Eccle. i◠〈◊〉 vii Leuiti xx Deutro v Deu. xxxiii Exodi xx Mala. 〈◊〉 Mathei xv Mar. xvii Ad ephe vi Deu. xxvii ê“uer xx Absolon ii Reg. xv eâ— xviii â—ham Gene. ix Leuiti xviii Sennath e 〈…〉 〈◊〉 para xxxii Danielis v Thobie iiii Gotilaus Pluterchus Hiere xxxv Eccle. xxiiii his chyldren all his goodes yet with grete payne wyll they â—ynystre vnto him his necessytees Folysshe fader wh 〈…〉 gyuest thou all thy fynauÌ„ce vnto thy sone O how thou arte folysshe to gyue vnto thy sone the whiche after the gyfte wyll wysshe the deed And thou sone the whiche remayneth after hym and hathe not honoured hym but hathe holden hym in myserye thou art sore to blame Thou hast euylly knowen the good that he wolde haue done to the and that he dyde to the in nourysshynge the so tenderly in thy yonge aege and to haue made the lerne to wynne thy lyfe with And after he hathe gyuen the all his goodes and nowe thou mayste not beholde hym nor nourysshe hym with the goodes that he gaue the. Knowest thou not that without hauynge goodes of fader and moder that thou arte bounden to nourysshe them after the ryght wryten or elles thou puttest thy soule in grete daunger For the scrypture sayeth that peruers chyldren ben worthy to be put in the fyre of hell Thynke on Absolon that dyspraysed the coÌ„maundementes of his fader kynge dauyd wherfore he deyed vyllay nously hanged by the heer on a tre Consyder also of cham that mocked with his fader Noes genytours wherfore he had goddes curse and his We rede of Sennacheryb that was slayne of his chyldren for his realme and yet none of them regned for they were all banysshed out of it Thobye taught euer his sone in good condycyons salomon beynge in his syege ryall dyde grete honour reuerence vnto his moder for whan that he dyde sytte in his â—â—one he made his moder to be sette vpon his ryghte syde Consyder also the chyldren of the wyse rachab to whome he coÌ„maunded that they sholde neuer drinke wyne they obeyed his coÌ„maundement and neuer dronke wyne after for they wolde not dysobeye theyr naturall fader as reason wolde ¶ Of the cauyllacyon of preestes in the quere ca. lxxxvii ¶ We se in this tyme nowe present How preestes serue god neglygently Not praysynge hym as permanent Doynge his seruyce deuoutly For they do but clatter and crye In the quere whyle they sholdesynge And gyue to god laude and praysynge LUbryke fooles preestes of the chirche come lerne some doctryne in this chapytre and habandone 〈◊〉 deâ—â—rde â—n mu. Ecclesi 〈◊〉 v◠〈◊〉 cuÌ„ decorem de vi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 chambres apparaylled burgeyses ladyes damoyselles and maydens You be reygnynge in chirches in grete hepes where as ye tell full many tryfles and lyes the one to the other makynge grete rumoure in deuysyÌ„ge of many thynges as well of edefyces as of the estate of other preestes ledynge a charyot lyke ydeottes O Ihesus how the scryptures Heremi addau asum pÌ„s xxxviii eâ— lxxii Ad ephesyos tertio and holy constytucyons is lytell honoured in the chirche There is neyther bataylles assautes nor feldes done by the gentyll knyghtes but that they be recouÌ„ted in the chirche The cronycles ben recyted and the dedes of armes that hathe ben done in fraunce in almayne in Scotlonde and many other semblable wordes that is vayne and vycyous The preestes wyll not speke of the byble nor of the holy decretes nor passyon wherfore they can not But all vyle wordes shall be recyted in the chirche The clerke renneth aboute in the chirche tellynge newe tydynges They lese the tyme in claterynge all alonge the daye The other wyll not go vnto the chirche ê“uer v. nota
dormen tarium glo c. si de cle noÌ„ res li. vi pÌ„s xv they be so enflambed with auaryce yf that they haue no moneye nor dystrybucyon and wyll not go vnto the chirche for the loue of god O what horrour to dysobeye the creatour Peruers folkes of condycyons thynke where god shall put your soules ye well symonyacles It were better for you that ye wente not vnto the chirche than for to go in esperaunce to take money I praye you that ye go not in to sacred places by auaryce for that is not a greable to god bycause that it polluteth the sacred place so worthy Ye be not ashamed to speke vnto harlottes and baudes in the chirche in makynge them sygnes they fo lowe you paas by paas God out and auoyde holy â—hâ—â—che go your wayes hastely be ye not ashamed that foâ—kes Neemie xiii Eccle. xxi xvi q. vii et â—oc diximus â—hoâ—de se you no for ye be no more ashamed than 〈◊〉 sowe that lyeth her downe in the myre that dyspleaseth moche vnto god More ouer ye gyue euyll example vnto the seculers You ought to be the refulgent sterre but Ictâ—uÌ„ xii xxiiii q. 〈◊〉 oibê° et c. quare ex sola ye be withouten lumynarye or lyght O what scandale and what dyshonour I demaunde you yf that ye shall haue the gyrtes of god and his realme perduraâ—â—e for to do so no But muste praye vnto hym in the chirche as mayster and lorde of heuen and erthe and purge you clene of all your vyces and synnes Some there is that wyll be without syngynge masse vnto a leuen of the clocke a bydynge that some sholde gyue them moneye for to synge malse for yf that they haue no moneye gyuen theym they wyll synge no masse ¶ O what dyshonour to holy chirche of mandyens or other as well monkes as abbottes chanons as pryours nothyÌ„ge I speke but they may be in the nombre with the other Suche folkes can not wynne the realme of paradyse but yf that they amen de theyr lyues and do penaunce for theyr synnes For it is they that ought to be resplendysshynge as the sterres And they be more obscure than many of the seculers commytte mo vyces and abhomynable synnes in gyuynge ryght euyll examples vnto the poore folkes parysshynges ¶ Of the grete demonstraunce of pryde ca. lxxxviii ¶ All â—â—ey that be replete with pryde Foloâ—ynge the fende ryght cruell Is worthy with hym to abyde And for euermore with hym dwell In the horryble paynes of hell There to be rewarded doubtelesse And neuer come in heuens blesse PRoude fooles approche you hastely and come here my doctryne for there is dyuerse Eccle. ix Judith ix â—s xc et 123. â—â—er vii Eccle. vii Dui meth de pe dis ii hinc etiam Esaie xiiii Thobie iiii Jacobi iiii vi q. i. imita xii q. ii glo â—ia eâ—i in â—i peregrinatio noÌ„ facit medâ— cuÌ„ nulla ars lorâ— disciâ— vt ait Sene. Johel ii Ecclesia x. et xxvii Luce. x. xxiiii q. iii. quideÌ„ vel lâ—ciâ—iceriant fooles that be full of pryde that by theyr vyces is entred in to our shyppe They wyl holde the empyre and domyne aboue all the other Ofte ntymes the foole surprysed rowynge with in the foule shyppe the whiche was of auncyente forged by Lucyfer prynce of pryde that wolde haue mounted aboue god is deceyued but god almyghtye made hym for to descende into the obscure pyt of helle where as is tormentes intollerable This lucyfer was the fyrst that synned in pryde He is fader and mayster of pryde And they that folowe hym ben his chyldren the whiche he holdeth euer ferre from our lorde They ben habandoned vnto hym and be replete with dyscordes with vaynglo rye and also with iactaunce saynge I haue had the solycytude of pauonye the wyse cyte in my youthe I haue redde the holy ensygnementes of sapyence And bycause that I haue knowen suche thynges I ought to be exalted aboue all the other ¶ The other hathe ronne in frauÌ„ce in spayne and in other places where as he is hated not for no valyauntyse that he hathe done yet he wyll be exalted aboue the other Tell me what auayleth thy pryde Yf thou haue sene dyuers countrees in grete daungers as well on the see as on the londe and thou sayst more by halfe Thy wordes ben to bytter and yet thou sayst them not of a good sorte Beholde yf the wyse taketh so grete laude no for neuer a wyse man desyred laude nor neuer blameth none But thou arte as full of pryde as lucyfer that was sayd berynge lyghte For by his beaute he wolde enhaunce hym in pryde and wolde haue mounted vpon the hyghe syege of our lorde But our good god the whiche is so Juste made hym to falle Job x. puer xv et viii â—s xvii Sapien. v â—uer xiiii Job xxvi Eccle. xi â—uer xi Eccle. vii Eccle. xix puer v. Holofernes Judith ix Jesabell iiii ReguÌ„ ix into the abys 〈…〉 es of helle with his complyces ¶ Alas it was for them grete euyll And thus the proude folkes shall descende into the tenebres and paynes infernalles Lucyfer and his complyces layeth many gynnes nettes for to take the proude soules the whiche they drawe in to theyr cauernes from daye to daye withouten euer to haue ony Joye or solace This cursed synne of pryde destroyeth all good condycyons vertues and scyences and engendreth thynges contrary that is to knowe abhomynacyon This synne reygneth in dyuers persones and pryncypally in women For al the gendre femynyne is replete with pryde the whiche synne maculeth totally the body and the soule of the persone they were ambycyous clothes They make theyr husbandes to stoupe or other without reason by theyr lokes that they caste dyuers wyse men ben almoost depryued from theyr wyt Judyth dyde soo moche by her fayre speche that she cut of Holofernes heed bycause that he wolde haue destroyed her londe how well that Jesabell was fayre yet she anoynted her vysage for to make her foule in the presence of her husbande Jehu Euery daye wysdome calleth vs in saynge that we â—â—ee frome claterynge wyues for they haue theyr tongues to lyght and to daungerous they be replenysshed with lechery the whiche with their eyen and â—restes byteth the hertes of the poore men le deth the soule in to the pytte of helle there to remayne perpetually The good woman hathe all good vertues wher honour ensueth her she vseth laudes and good operacyons Eccle. xiiii xxvii q. v. nec salomon puer xiiii Eccâ— xxv ii Reg. xi she kepeth chastyte and setteth noughte by concupy scence carnal yf Bersabee had not ben esprysed with loue she wolde neuer haue shewed her naked body vnto kynge Dauyd She was the pryncypall cause that her husbande Urye was slayne for The women at this presente tyme ben cause of many folysshe loues you doo Ecclesia
¶ The shyppe of fooles Gaudeamê° oeÌ„s· ¶ Here after foloweth the prologue of the translatour of this present booke intytled the grete shyppe of fooles of this worlde KNowynge that Melius est habundare quam deficere It is better to haue haboundaunce of dyuers thynges than to haue necessyte Wherfore I haue put myselfe to translate this presente booke called the grete shyppe of fooles out of Frensshe in to Englysshe bycause that this booke hathe ben fyrste made in Allemayne language and out of Allemayne it was translated into latyn by mayster Jaques Locher and oute of latyn in to rethoryke Frensshe I haue consydered that the one delyteth them in latyn the other in Frensshe some in ryme and the other in prose for the whiche cause I haue done this more ouer consyderynge this that Therence Therentius sayth Tot capita tot sensus also many heedes also many opynyons And than consyderynge the saynge of Uyrgyle Uirgilius Trahit sua queque voluntas Euery body wyll do after theyr voluntees and wyll accomplysshe them but as Uyrgyle sayeth more ouer Nescia mens hoiÌ„m The voluntees of men is vnknowen Wherfore they that wyll haue latyn take it the frensshe ryme or prose or alleman or Englysshe Who wyll haue the morall sens take it who that wyll haue the lytterall sens take it And who wyll haue all take all as sayeth Esope ¶ To the honour of the Esopas ryght hye and ryght sacred trynyte fader sone and holy ghost in one essence and of the ryght gloryous moder of god and of all the sayntes of paradyse I haue begon to make this translacyon for to exhorte the poore humaynes the whiche by imbelycytes pusyllanimytes haue ensued the fooles of this presente worlde theyr werkes And to the ende that they may eschewe al mondanytes and folyes I praye them that they haue regarde vnto this present booke and that they comprehende the substaunce to the ende that they maye wysely gouerne them selfe in the tyme to come and that thorugh theyr labour they may be of the nombre of the saued For whan a man debateth the shame that it be not vaynquysshed multe plyeth his force And the good conscyence also multeply eth vertues in man Consyderynge also that the prose is more famylyer vnto euery man than the ryme I Henry Uirgilius Watson indygne and symple of vnderstondynge haue reduced this present boke in to our maternall tongue of Englysshe out of Frensh at the request of my worshyp full mayster wynkyn de worde thrughe the entysement exhortacyon of the excellent pryncesse Margarete couÌ„tesse of Rychemonde and Derby and grandame vnto our moost naturell souerayne lorde kynge Henry ye. viii whome Ihesu preserue from all encombraunce If that I haue added ony thynge in ony place I haue not done it by arrogaunce but for to applye vnto the scrypture and bycause that it came vnto purpose I haue not wylled to chaunge the name of the boke the whiche hathe ben called by the fyrste composer the shyppe of fooles He hathe fygured a shyppe full of fooles fletynge vpon a see ¶ By the shyppe we may vnderstonde the folyes and er roures that the mondaynes are in by the se this present worlde the fooles beynge in the shyppe is the synners for we are in this worlde as pylgrymes fletynge frome one countree to another and after our operacyons we shall be remunered at the porte of salute Syth that it is so we must serche in this booke the whiche may well be â—â—lled the doctrynall of fooles for there may be fouÌ„den good and helthfull doctrynes conteyned as well in the holy pagyne as in the werkes of the sayntes and prophetes of lawes and of the decretes of holy faders the whiche haue rowed so well in this worlde that they are aryued at a good porte that is in the glorye eternall to the whiche wyll conduyte vs the fader the sone and the holy ghost amen You lectours humbly I requyre you for to pardon me yf that I haue erred in ony thynge for the tendernes of my yeres hathe so affusked me that I haue not applyed me vnto the lettres as Jought to haue done the language is not autentyke to the ende that euerybody may vnderstonde some thynge for folkes vn lyttered demaundeth not thynges obscure ¶ Prolude of this present boke NOwe is the worlde ful of scyence and documentes made by our auÌ„cyent faders in suche wyse that the holy scrypture is in gretter vygoure than euer it was for in her is all ryght Fyrst we haue the holy byble of the auÌ„cyent faders In the whiche appereth euydently theyr feates and lyues we maye take good ensamples for to susteyne and nourysshe our poore soules For he that loueth not vertues is reputed vyle More ouer we haue the bookes of phylosophye wherin is conteyned all goodnes it is they wherin all the wyse men dyd lerne she is excellente and of grete pryse And who that delyteth in her may haue ryght grete prouffyte But this notwithstondynge I meruayle me of euery mortall man bycause that they thynke not vpon theyr salute and thynke soner to assemble a grete sorte of synnes and how that god consumeth vs not seynge that we offende hyÌ„ soo moche Good doctryne is chaced out of the worlde euery daye and in folye and imbelycyte man passeth his dayes he fleeth leueth good doctryne Palas was wonte to kepe the ren Palâ—s ges in this worlde but by our grete and enorme synnes we maye not suffre it She is in heuen where as she serueth the sayntes of whome she is loue None or ryght fewe haue her prudence scyence or doctryne we haue not the ouerture of probyte fayth conscience loue and pyte is not in vs but echone dysprayseth his god wher fore he that taketh vertues cheseth a good place Noneste thynges and good condycyons we dysprayse The holy sayntes documentes and admonestinges we dyspyse with the celestyall doctrynes so dulcet and amerous vnto the good and dyscrete men of this worlde ¶ More ouer we fall in infynyte errours that in the worlde is the worste and are releued in a myscheuous empyre by our synnes are infynyte and none of vs hathe a stedfaste degree By playnes wayes pathes tauernes markettes stretes mountaynes hylles felde s and fynably by al quarters is excercysed glotonye whiche is so vyle in takyng inutyle wayes and not the waye of salute We folowe capons tauernes etynge drynkynge insacyably we replenysshe our bodyes vnmesurably with lecherye and delycates sobrenes is not fouÌ„de in vs euery body is trobled with this vyce Our hertes is affusked so that it demaundeth nothynge but vanytees our soules we fulfyl with fylthes and lecheryes in lyke wyse and of othervyces mo than a hondred By the meanes wherof there is grete haboundaunce of fooles thorugh the worlde in suche wyse that in dyuers regyons and countrees theyr folyes redoundeth so moche that all vertues pure thynges
malycious tongue of a in 〈…〉 or o 〈…〉 a woman that is so venymous can not be chastysed it maculeth and defoyleth all the body for who that kepeth theyr mouthes k 〈…〉 peth theyr soules Wherfore malycyous tongues brydel you with this doctryne for a stroke with an euyll tongue is more aspre and daungerous than a stroke with a spere He the whiche speketh to moche and hathe to many vayne wordes is a grete foole wherfore cometh he not in to our folys she shyppe Come quyckely for to gouerneour saylles auaunce you fooles that speketh to moche auale your dyspytous langages Dyuerse foles there be that delyteth them in cursed langage ymagynynge false fables behynde theyr neyghbours backe rehersynge dyuerse thynges that ought not to be rehersed It were better for them to haue theyr mouthes closed vp for euer than with the venymous darte of enuy to hurte ony body with theyr euyll speche in babelynge without refray nynge of theyr tongues by the whiche of tentymes procedeth in the courte grete dyuysyon noyses molestacycyons myseryes calamytes Suche folkes haue made dyuerse tymes warre bytwene emperoures kynges Prouer. xvii digito compe see labellum dukes and erles and they haue moued the hertes of noble men vnto tyranny and crudelyte O what mestymable perylles happeneth by suche malycyous tongues that Juuenalis of theyr owne volente answereth or they be requyred There is dyuerse fooles that delyteth them for to speke vycyously for the vaynglorye that they haue of theyr langage in reioysynge them of theyr babelynge and claterynge Suche folkes haue oftentymes grete inconuenientes Job xv ê“uer xviii mere xviii Osce vii and euylles but this notwithstandyÌ„ge theyr cursed tongues constrayneth them ryght often for to supporte many accydentes and euylles of rage scomfyte Tell me than daungerous fooles wherof this vycyous langage serueth you this claterynge this babelynge vayne wordes truely of nothynge Whan suche folkes do go to confessyon theyr speche faylleth them ye in suche wyse that they can not open theyr mouthes for to declare theyr vyle and abhomynable synnes vnto that preest And it happeneth oftentymes that whan they wolde speke god closeth theyr mouthes Dyuers fooles there be that 〈◊〉 Eccliasti v. ê“uer xxv and they had not babeled so moche they had ben wyse and prudent Alas take ensample at the pye that by to moche chatterynge sheweth where her lytell ones be Refrayne your tongues for it is better to speke moderately and sobrely than to answere to euery body and to euery proposycyon that ben vyle and dyshonest and to be reproched of it afterwarde Lytell speche contenteth all folkes whan it is moderatly pronounced It is an excellent Ecclia iii. and a vertuous thynge of a mouthe that can retayne wordes And also whan his speche ismoderately pronouÌ„ced how well that of necessyte we must speke by ryght and reason ¶ Of them that correcketh other and synneth themselfe ca. xx ¶ He that may go in a fayre waye As the ryght hande dothe specefye And wyll not kepe it by no laye Is folysshe I you certefye Shewynge his prudence openly For he wyll rather go in the myre Than do as the hande dothe requyre IGnoraunt man folysshe and astonyed the whiche wyll correcke other mennes fautes and thou xl dis isti 〈◊〉 cuÌ„'eo ceteruÌ„ thyselfe commyttest synne knowest thou not well that he the whiche ensygneth other to lyue well and iustely and lyueth vycyously hymselfe that he instrueth god how he sholde condempne hym Also he the whiche seeth a thynge vtyle and dothe Glo. in capi ea que de statu regu iii. q. vii indicet et c. in grauibus a thynge inutyle he absenteth hymselfe from the true intellygence of good couÌ„sayll Whan that ye be auncyent correcke not other mennes fautes but correcke youre owne fautes vyle and dyshonest 〈◊〉 grete turbe of foles fleeth to our shyppe the whiche can not endoctryne theÌ„selfein good vertues and yet they wyll reproche correcke another mannes fautes They be not ashamed to commytte many synnes they hyde theyr vyle synnes but they be euer prompte for to punysshe the synnes of other folkes Alas all the operacyons of the humaynes â–ª ben conuerted in to vyces and vyle ordure maculate Theyr noses ben wrencled laugheth with theyr ere 's 〈◊〉 q. vii tria 〈◊〉 vii luce vi Juuenalis fabricius without hauynge cogytacyon of the euylles that they commytte themselfe nor of the greuous maladyes horryble and contagyous that remayneth within theyr corporate bodyes and stomakes This hande that is fyxed in the felde sheweth the ryght waye and the true pathe and remayneth alwaye in one place In semblable wyse doo they that noteth other mennes vyces and can not correcte theyr owne but ben enclyned vnto vycyous operacyons Suche folkes spyeth well a lytell thorne in another mannes eye but they se not a grete be 〈…〉 e in theyr owne eye Some sayeth that they be good and curyous Esaye ix Socrates Juuenalis Tullius as Fabricius The other the good cathonystes or holy metelistes of whome I passe ouer for this present tyme There be dyuers that wyl shewe the constaunce of Socrates but they haue no scyence From them yssueth ryghte pyteous lyfe and ben entyerly habandoned to syn Of suche folkes procedeth grete claymours At the moyen of this I shall reherse vnto you the saynge of Tuly us the whiche sayth thus None ought to correcte another mannes vyces vnto the tyme that he haue purged and clensed his owne synnes I maye alegge vnto you many doctrynes of the auncyent faders For euenso as Luce. iiii xxvi distin vna 〈…〉 i. q. 1. 〈◊〉 â—l disti sit rector xxv distin primuÌ„ xâ—vi distin i. necesse by medecynes the physycyens enforseth them for to hele other and can not hele hymselfe ryght so wyll a folâ— repreue anothers condycyons and in theyr owne dedes they be neuer well counsaylled The other counsaylleth one prudently but they can not couÌ„sayll themselfe Prechers the whiche precheth the holy scryptures to the people and that repreueth the synners mondyfye your conscyences to the ende that ye be not founden entached with vylanye but be replenysshed with vertues by cause that ye preche the worde of god to the ende that ye be not maculate nor repreued ¶ For to fynde other mennes goodes and not to yelde them agayne â—a xxi ¶ He the whiche fyndeth ony thynge And employeth it to his vsage Alwaye of the same dyspendynge Is a grete fole and nothynge sage For the deuyll at eche passage Holdeth hym fast in a bande Go he by water or by lande AMonge you fooles that reioyseth you whan ye fynde ony golde or syluer ye knowe euydently that it is none of yours and yf that ye rendre it not agayne and make restytucyon knowe for a trouthe that it is rapyne Come and se yf there is ony thynge that may prouffyte you in this ample shyppe of fooles For the
ensygnementes nor techynges of the wyse and dyscrete men the whiche Eccle. xxix myght be prouffytable bothe to theyr bodyes and soules And they haue no regarde to the poore soule the whiche is nyght daye in grete perylll and daunger to be loste O redotynge fooles that gyueth soner credence vnto a Ad he xiii grete multytude of galauntes that be replete with vyle synnes than vnto the wyse dyscrete men that be full of all vertues Theyr courages is so folysshe that whan they come in to ony ryche mannes house they wysshe that hora. i. eplis all the goodes were theyrs so ful they be of vanyte It is the pleasure and the custome of fooles to desyre euery fayre thynge that they se and pryncypally all newe thynges is moost to theyr pleasure as men of straunge londes for lyghtly they renne after them They goo on dyuers pylgrymages as to rome for to se the walles to Solyme Syrye Lybye and to the realmes Menphylytykes Piramides Myryades Actykes neuertheles from all these straunge places they brynge nothynge to theyr honour but be more folissher than they were whaÌ„ they departed ¶ Syth it is so that we can not lerne nothynge Plato 〈◊〉 quo hiero in prologo biblie Ad hebre xiii out of our countrees and houses we must be dy lygente for to lerne somwhat within our countrees and houses then or elles do as platon dyde the whiche made to seke dyuers wyse men for to enduce hym in many prudente scyences Suche fooles ben lyke vnto duckes that fleeth in to dyuers countrees and retorneth more incensyfe than whan they flewe oute Wherfore obstynate fooles that all your lyfe tyme hathe ben vycyous thynke at the leest for to amende you be tymes for it is better for you to amende you be tymes than to late for be ye sure yf that ye amende you not in this valey of my serye and doo penaunce for your synnes ye shall neuer entre in to the realme of paradyse ¶ Of angre that procedeth of a lytell thynge ca. xxxv ¶ Who beteth his asse without mesure And wyll neuer be sacyate He is a folysshe creature To demeane hym in suche astate Upon a beest that can not prate For this foole is dystraught for wo Bycause his asse wyll not fast go LOke that ye fayle not to presente yourselfe in xxxii q. vii quid in nibê° Sapien. xiii Ad Roma ii â—iere xxix Persius Prouer. xx ê“uer xxxii our shyp fooles that be angry for a lytell thynge your Ire empessheth your courage in suche wyse that ye can not beholde no true thyge and speketh of nothynge but of cryme dysworshyp Understonde this that I saye and ye shal knowe the foly that holdeth you This fole that is mouÌ„ted vpon this asse is angrye bycause that his asse wyll not go faste he cryeth lyke a madde man and yet he hathe but a lytell cause for euery body knoweth that the asse is slouthfull He cryeth and brayeth and speketh not one reasonable worde He is more smokye thenne is a lowe chymney He aswageth not his Ire He is reioysed in his herte to se hymselfe soo angred bycause that the people doubteth hym And this notwithstandyng he thynketh that he is holden for a wyse man how well that he is a perfyte foole and ryght feble of brayne more astonyed than a wylde mule He hathe shrewednes fyxed in hym and thynketh that they neuer sawe other fooles and de syreth to haue asses ere 's The dyscrete man fleeth from this vnhappy Ire for it sleeth the vnderstondynge maketh a man lyghtly dulle as an asse We rede of Archyas Archytas the prudente and wyse man the whiche was of noble progenye of the cyte of Tarentyne how wel that he was gretely troubled in his herte for his seruaunt that had synned yet this notwstandynge his grete constaun ce refrayned hym agaynst his seruaunte and pardoned hym his trespace without doynge hym ony harme In lyke wyse of Platon of Socrates and of many other Plato Socrates auncyent clerkes that torned theyr euyll wylles in to gracyous bountees This Ire to outragyous they expulsed from theyr courages They were replete with good rea son bycause that Ire maketh to sourde so many euylles and paynes And by this vnhappye rancoure and Ire Prouer. xxx Eccle. xix two good men that hathe ben frendes togyder shall be at dyscorde the whiche is ynoughe for to destroye theym bothe as well in theyr mouable goodes as in theyr bodyes for the naturall wytte is troubled and maculed O synne thou arte to cruell for thou makeste men to lese xi q. iii. ira v. q. ii relatuÌ„ et c. seruetur Prouer. xxii et xvii theyr sensuall wyt and vnderstondynge in lyke symy lytude as by Ire it is vnbrydeled And yf there befall or come ony vnhappe or passyon vnto the wyse men they bere it pacyently for they be garnysshed wverrues but the Irefull men that haue theyr maynteyne volunte so fyerse and that correcketh and chastyseth not themselfe and the whiche by theyr wanhope hathe theyr hell in this worlde pretendeth to come vnto myshappe and myserye The prudent man taketh al thynges pacyently the foole not Wherfore innocente fooles I admonest Job xxxvi ê“uer xii Eccâ—â—asti vii you that ye leue these slouthefull beestes that dothe you so moche payne and angre in euery ceason of the yere thorughe theyr slouthfulnes ¶ Of the mutabylyte of fortune ca. xxxvi ¶ He that thynketh to mounte on hye On fortunes whele that is peruerse He is replete with grete foly Seynge that she is so dyuerse For she wyll lyghtly hym reuerse Up so downe vnder the whele And take from hym his hertes wele UNregled fooles that is eleuate vpon the heyght of dame fortunes whele thinke ye for to do Eccle. x. Mathei i. Prouet xiiii Sene. i. her Llaudianus de pe di iii. â—d ergo i glo Horatius myne euer And thou foole that descendeth and the other that thynketh for to mounte holde you by this hande the whiche maketh you so sodaynly to mounte and descende Repose you a lytell and rede this dyscrypcyon all alonge whiche is of dame fortune There be fooles thrughe the worlde that haue grete haboundaunce of goodes bycause that they be on the heyght of dame fortunes whele the whiche oftentymes torneth it so sodaynly that she maketh theym to fall in to a profounde pytte The other fyxeth theyr regarde more hygher these be they that wolde attayne vnto grete honour to the ende that they myghte be moost notable in euery thynge and haue none aspecte vnto the dethe that reuerseth them vp soo downe with one onely stroke It happeneth ryght often that whan fortune hathe nourysshed them tenterly a grete whyle that she leueth them in grete dystresse and myserye it is her fynall and last wyll for she assaylleth them afterwarde asprely by grete necessyte and famyne If he haue treasoure Sene.
pastoralis de te iudi hym whan all is done he dare not assayll a dogge and dothe but cracke in touchynge the honoure of euery body and lyghtly he telleth the secrete of his courage manyfestly Suche a man is a foole approued for from hâ— Prouer. x. they may kepe them that they be not deceyued But hâ— Pro. xviii et xxvi is wyse and prudente that casteth not his secrete in thâ— mynde and that declareth not his counsayll to no body And that vaunteth hym neuer of that whiche he hathe to do but kepeth it secretely and sayth neuer a worde vnto Horatius in episto the tyme that he wyll put in effecte that whiche he gothe aboute touchynge the helthe of his soule or other good operacyons Dyuers folkes ben deceyued by a grete sor Prouer. x. 〈◊〉 of adulatours that by fayre speche knoweth mennes Eccle. viii Mathei v. Duidius secretes and by infynyte flaterynge they haue blandysshed many seruauntes to the ende that they myght haue intellygence of the secretes of theyr maysters wherof Juuenalis procedeth oftentymes many euylles and therfore I saye that he is wyse that kepeth his secretes and couÌ„sayl There is foure thynges that can neuer be hydde that is the waye the secrete of a man without wytte a cyte that 〈◊〉 edefyed vpon a mountayne and the folysshe conduy 〈◊〉 of a man that is esprysed with loue But labourers poore folkes that ben all naked maye better hyde theyr secretes than the ryche burgeyses and marchauntes of whome the renowne fleeth And whan theyr dedes is Uirgilius iiii ene knowen theyr houses ben dyffamyd for then is knoweÌ„ manyfestly that theyr goodes ben comen to them by de cepcyons at the moyen of whiche one ought not to tell is sectetes vnto the tyme that they be put in effecte And Seneca Latho one ought neuer to tell his affayres vnto his seruaunte for afterwarde he is subgecte vnto hym that he tolde it to Who that wyll lyue without doubte ought not to ma 〈◊〉 relacyon of his thought to no body for oftentymes they thynke euyll and the thynge cometh not to effecte for the whiche they may haue shame reproche or dysho â—oure ¶ How one ought for to be Wyse by experyence of the euylles that they se fooles commytte ca. xxxix ¶ Who seeth of fooles the grete ruyne And theyr fallynge downe so sodayne And wyll vnto vyces enclyne Is worthy helle for to obtayne With deuylles alwaye to remayne For he wyll not his synne amende Untyll the tyme that he must wende A Wyseman ought to or 〈…〉 hymself dyscrett by she ruyne of foles wherfore wyse and folysshe men come gyue audyence vnto mâ— ê“uer iiii xv Joh. xvii documentes We se euery day that fooles i 〈…〉 dysportynge them falleth and hurteth them and we laughe at them and they themself in lyke wyse At euery season they playe and wyll lerne nothynge suche fooles ben dysprysed of wyse men for they wolde ascende and mounte to hye and yet they bere chapellettes vpon theyr browes The one accuseth the other of vyce notwithstandynge that they themself be full of crymes spekynge iniuryous wordes full of rancoure procedyng from his venymous herte without thynkinge that at the Eccle. xxv Ecclesia x. ende he must make restytucyon of his honoure or elles he shall be expulsed from the hyghe realme as dyffamed without hauynge ayde of ony body Alas thou the whiche speketh suche wordes hathe no regarde vnto that the whiche myght come afterwarde therby yf thou dyde rede thy conscyence well thou sholde knowe thy grete wanhope And euen thus thou contynueth in grete errours and puttest thyselfe in the acquayntaunce of ruyne yf thou knewest of the hedeous ruyne that abydeth for the thou wolde refrayne thyselfe from euyll spekynge In Iheremie vi et vii Eccle. i. this ruyne falleth many we haue ensample of the foles that we se perysshe and deye wherfore chastyse thyselfe Now tell me foole wherfore thou fallest in to it seynge that thou hast chose for to do good or euyl the examples of the euyll folkes and gooth after them where as thou de stroyeth thyselfe Thou the whiche wyll lyue by example Mathei xv Luce. vi correcke thyselfe by other and thou shalte be holden for a wyse maÌ„ One blyÌ„de man can not loue another but byffameth eche other and somtyme the one ledeth the Esopê° ã€ˆâ€¦ã€‰ apo other in an euyll waye and falleth bothe in the dytche all bycause that they haue no guyde Alas how the thynge is ryght peruerse bothe in man and woman that wyl not folowe the good ensygnementes and techynges of Eccle. iii. 〈◊〉 xii theyr moders And yf ye do the contrary I tel you that ye chese ryght syth that ye be of so euyll affayre and werke certesye shall haue a stepmoder harde and cruell also he that foloweth not the techynges of his fader that some my sfortune happeneth to hym it is well employed for he wyll not take the ryght waye that his fader holdeth as Pheron that ledde the carte of the fonne for bycause that he wolde not accepte the couÌ„sayl of his Pheton Eulliê° iii. of Duidiê° ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ 〈◊〉 fader he made to brenne a parte of the elemente and of the erthe and all was by his wanhope In lyke wysede dalus composed wynges for hym and for his sone ycarius and after he shewed hym the heyght that he sholde flee that is to saye neyther to hye nor to lowe and that he sholde folowe his fader Whan ycarius felte hymselfe Icarus Dui vi 〈…〉 metha ê“uer xv et xxiii so lyght he flewe so hye that the sonne melted his wynges and he fell in to the see They ensued vycyously the counsayll of theyrfaders for youthe myght not obeye therto Wherfore be wyse and byleue good counsayll yf that ye se ony fall in to daunger eschewe the ruyne and peryll to the ende that ye be debonayre The wyse man Eccle. xi wyll neuer passe by a daungerous passage yf that ye se abeest by aduenture fall in a dauÌ„gerous passage ye shol de neuer passe that waye yf that ye se a foole bathynge hym and parauenture drowneth hymself folowe hym not for all that but take example that ye do not as he dyde for he is wyse and dyscrete that can chastyse hymself by the example of other mennes vyces Synners chastyse Esopus Horatius in epist. your courages in ensuynge alwayes the holy men to the ende that ye maye haue a dwellynge place aboue in the courte celestyall ¶ Not for to haue cure of detraccyons vayne wordes of euery body ca. xl ¶ He is a foole ryght varyable The whiche wyll gyue fayth and credence Unto euery mannes fable Whiche are folysshe withouten sence And knowe they be voyde of prudence Euer reportynge falsetydynges Bothe at morowe and at euenynges FAntastyke fooles vnderstonde this whiche ye groundem your
pease bytwene her husbande hym What shall I saye vnto the chyldren that be so harde to correcke ye se them euery daye in noyses playes and mockynges Alas what shall I saye more saue that ye fle frome all these peruerse courages All these fooles seketh nothynge but for to dystroye a man ¶ Of the dyspraysynge of the Joye eternall ca. xlii ¶ O god how our myndes is mouable Dyshonest false and not loyall For to dysprayse god permanable With all the courte celestyall And set at nought his syege royall For he is a foole nothynge wyse The Joyes of heuen for to dyspryse NOt consyderynge the fooles speculatyues whiche cogyteth the heuen and the erthe I thought for to haue wryten no more but a Eccle. xiiii pÌ„s xli Marci ix Mathei xvi sapiâ—n iiii ad Ro. ii Amos. v. grete turbe of fooles presented them before myn eyen and whan I hadde beholden them I wrote as moche of them as I knewe for I coude take no rest they presed me so moche for to wryte som what of them These fooles be replete with all vyces but theyr wordes be full of prudence Alas how is our nature so frayle for to desyre more the worldly thynges than Eccle. ii i. iohelis ii the Joyes eternall Alas yf I regne a space of tyme my body desyreth to lyue euer in worldly pleasure vnto my laste ende whan that I muste nedes departe hens and haue not obserued and kepte the holy commaundementes of our lorde Ihesu cryst nor his lawe that is so true I haue passed my tyme in grete delytes and Joye with them that was with me without thynkynge that I put my poore soule in the waye to go vnto the goulfre infernall Luce. vi in to the flode of Acheron O poore fooles I can not haue intellygence how ye desyre the mondayne Joye so moche ye walke in the waye swete and delectable but ye shall be trapped and taken in stronge glue aspre and bytter and he the whiche shall take you is the deuyll of helle Now tell me foole what prouffyteth so moche rychesse Tallius 〈◊〉 senectute JahaÌ„ xviii what prouffyte may come vnto the by these treasours inutyle Alas thou seest that many leseth them ryght often and that they melte lyke snowe Habandone the mondayne Joye the whiche is full of galle for it is a thyn ge that endureth no more than the grasse in the felde that whan it is mowen leseth all his rygoure Euen soo haue we our hertes whiche draweth to mondanytees and to vyces foule and dyshonest but god wyll mowe the body and the soule all sodaynly at suche an houre as shall lyke hym best for our dethe is ryght sodayne Alas nowe is loste our dayes our delytes and mondanytees And the worlde departeth from vs and after we shall taste bytter thynges All thynges that hathe rygoure in this ê“uer xi JohaÌ„nis vi Eccle. iii. Sapi. ii 〈◊〉 v. Jacobi v. Luce. xii â—po xiiii et xx worlde shall fynysshe also We se the grete rumoure of the grete estates as well spyrytuall as temporall and in conclusyon all the humaynes God that knoweth the thought of man punyssheth vs or leueth vs in the worlde vyle and replete with synne or sendeth vs sodayne and cruell dethe agaynst the whiche none erthely creature can resyste And thou the whiche wyll lyue in delytes in offendynge god thy creatoure thou doost not well Alas thou arte gretely blynded and affusked And for al that thou hast aege in this worlde yet thou knowest not the grete immondycyte and myserye that thou arte in and that thou leuest the Joye of heuen for to remayne in the stynkynge palus vyle and abhomynable where Mathei xxv as is pluto and proserpyne ingurgyted in the obscurtes of helle ¶ Of tumulte and ianglynge in the chirche ca. xliii ¶ Who bereth a hauke on his hande In the chirche walkynge vp and downe And ledeth houndes in a bande That with theyr belles make grete sowne He were better be in the towne For he letteth without delaye Bothe men and women for to praye COme and here this chapytre foles replete with wanhope the whiche renneth in the chirches lettynge the dyuyne seruyce by your tumulte De immunitate ecclesle c. dec3 li. vi and perturbacyon The seruyce of god ought to be done in pease and reste without cryenge or claterynge or walkynge vp and downe or commyttynge ony thynge dyshoneste Gyue intellygence vnto my doctryne then for there is dyuers in this turbe that gothe to the chirche in maner of deuocyon but whan the prestes be at the dyuyne seruyce they wandre aboute lyke a flocke of shepe in babelynge and claterynge the one to the other and yet they thynke that it is nothynge for to make bruyte rumoure yes it is to moche contemp nynge god and his temple Suche fooles entre in to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nunciamê° L. de his qui ad eccle confugiunt chirche more astonyed than a goos berynge a sparowe hauke or a lanyer vpon theyr handes and theyr belles at theyr fete demeanynge grete noyse with the barkynge of theyr houndes all that is lycyte in the chirche can not be done in pease as it requyreth but they be lenynge vpon the aulters claterynge of theyr affayres It is to moche Prouer. v. Creno i. dyspraysed god and his commaundementes They speke of theyr affayres and processes of theyr marchauÌ„dyses and of theyr chaufre it is to moche dyspysed god and his commaundementes they speke of the sellynge of whete of wyne of clothe and of all other marchaundyses without makynge ony prayers or orisons The other JohaÌ„ xii go to the chirche for to se the fayre wyues or yonge maydens or theyr ladyes in loue for to set some steuen sheweth themselfe gorgyously arayed The other gothe not saue for custome traylynge theyr fete with slepers or patyns O dure courages full of furoure how may ye In aucteÌ„ vt lic ma. auie in fâ— col viii walke so in the chirche Alas pore wretches ye ought for to thynke that god hathe gyuen you example by scrypture that ye sholde do nothynge in the chirche that were dyspleasynge vnto the creatoure but beseche hym that he wolde sende you all thynges propyse to your helthe In praynge hym humbly that he wolde gyue you at youre laste ende the realme of paradyse Goo we then in to his house for to make humble prayers orysons for that place is ordeyned therfore God gaue vs a fayre example whan he droue the marchauntes out of the holy temple Joh. ii Eccle. xxi Johelis ii Psal. i. Marti xi Luce. xix bycause that they bought and solde within it sayd vnto them The house of god is a house of prayer oryson The chirche is establysshed for to praye and adoure god in and his sayntes you the whiche haue puyssaunce make them auoyde out to the ende that the yonge men doo not as
no cure of the honeste of matrymonye and thynketh full euylly on his conscyence ¶ The vnyon of maryage is decayed for vnder the coloure of good and loyall maryage is wedded auaryce as we se euery daye by experyence thorugh the worlde Yf one wyll haue a Juuenalis ê“uer xvii Eccle. x. Juuenalis ê“uer xx wyfe and that he make her to be demaunded in maryage they wyl enquyre of his rychesse and conuynge And on the other syde he wyll demaunde grete rychesse with her for to nourysshe her with For and her fader her moder and frendes haue no grete rychesses he wyll not of her But and she be ryche he demaundeth none other thynge It is wryten that one were better haue his house in deserte where as nâ—o mencyon sholde be of hym than to abyde with suche wyues for they be replete with all cursydnes And the poore foole breketh his herte he leseth his soule and corrumpeth his body He selleth his ê“uerbi xxv Eccle. xxv Eccle. xii yongthe vnto the olde wyfe that weddeth her for auaryce and hathe but noyse and dyscencyon in vsynge his lyfe thus in synne Consyder you fooles what seruytude ye put your selfe in whan ye wedde suche wyues I pray you be chaste yf that ye wyl lyue without vnhappe My frendes the whiche be not in that bande put you not therin and ye shall be well happy Notwithstandynge I defende you not to mary but exhorte you to take a wyfe that ye may haue progenye by solace bodely goostly and therby to wynne the Joyes of paradyse ¶ Ofenuye ca. l. ¶ The dartes ryght cursed of enuye Hathe reygned syth the worlde began Whiche bryngeth one euedently In to the bandes of sathan Wherfore he is a dyscrete man That can eschewe that euyll synne Where body and soule is loste ynne APproche you folysshe enuyous the whiche can Eccle. xiiii Horatius in episto xlvi dis clericus saye no good by them that ye hate come and se in this chapytre your peruerse and euyll condycyons O enuye that deuoureth the condycyons of men and dyssyperesse of honour Thou makest to haue rauysshynge hertes famysshed thou brennest the desyres and sleeth the soule in the ende thou engendereth the darte enuyronned with myschefe the whiche trauaylleth dyuerse folkes Cursed foole how hast thou thy herte Salustius ê“uer xxviii Licero Eccle. xiiii Duidius ii meth so replete with cruelte for yf I haue temporall godes thou wylte haue enuye therat or yf that I can werke well and that I applye me vnto dyuerse thynges the whiche be honest or yf that I haue castelles londes tenementes Or yf that I am exalted vnto honoure by my scyence or wonne it by myn hardynesse truely and iustely Or yf that I am beloued of dyuerse persones the whiche reclaymeth me good and vertuous and of a noble courage thou wylte vylypende me with thy wordes thou wotest neuer in what maner thou mayst adnychyl myn honoure Thy malycyous herte is hurte with a mortall ê“uer xxiii wounde in suche wyse that thou haste no Joye nor solace in this worlde for the darte of enuye perceth thyÌ„ herte lyke a spere Thou hast wylde lycoure the whiche maketh all thy stomacke to be on a flambe There is no Descriptio iuidie ex ouidio medecyne that maye hele thy mortall wounde I beynge in a place where as myne honour was magnyfyed thought for to haue taken alyaunce with an odyfferauÌ„t floure but all sodaynly I was smyten with a darte of enuye behynde my backe wherthorugh all tho that were on my partye torned theyr backes vpon me for to agree vnto one of Uenus dyssolate seruauÌ„tes procedynge from a herte enuenymed with enuye Wherfore I shall specefye vnto you the condycyons of the enuyous Who that holdeth hym of the subgectes of enuye she coÌ„stytueth to deuoure and byte euery body gyuynge vnhappes and myseryes vnto her seruauntes Suche folkes dothe the innocente a thousande wronges They be replenysshed with soo many treasons that they can not slepe in theyr beddes they haue no swete cantycles nor songes They haue theyr tongues honyed with swete wordes vnder the coloure of loue they be lene and infecte of rygoure these enuyous is more bytterer than the galle of the fysshe Glauca with theyr eyen beholdynge a trauers the stomackes chaufed syntyllously and with out these mouthes as the vyne that is newe cutte they be enuyroned with rage and grete anguysshe beholdynge euermore to dystroye some body Conceyue the hystorye Joseph genÌ„ xxxvâ—i of Joseph in your myndes the whiche hadde seuen bredern that were enuyous agaynst hym whiche was the yongest and solde hym vnto the marchauntes of Egypte by enuye and betrayed hym The whiche were delybered of a longe tyme to haue dystroyed hym These enuyous neuer laugheth but whan some good man hathe domage vpon the see or londe or at the dysfortune of some body he drynketh his blode as mylke Notwithstandynge his herte is euer enbraced with enuye and as longe as he lyueth it shall knawe his herte He resembleth vnto Ethna the whiche brenneth alwayes As of Romulus and of Remus his broder the whiche Romulus edefyde fyrste Rome and gaue it to name Rome after his owne name Neuerthelesse they were pastours for they establysshed lawes in the cyte And Romulê° punysshed euery body egally He Instytued lymytttes or markes aboute the cyte and ordeyned that he that passed the lymyttes sholde be put to dethe His broder passed theym wherfore he was put vnto dethe incontynente in the same place We rede also how Cayn slewe his owne broder Eccl. xlviii by enuye Haue we not ensample semblably of Atreus of whome his broder occupyed the parke how well that they were in the realme stronge and puyssaunt for to defende â—lanus them It was Theseus that expulsed his broder Lucâ—nus Gene. iiii out of the realme by enuye and was called agayne bycause that he had taken the parke and fynably was banysshed and by enuye and vnder the coloure of peas he â—tati ' I the. i. Petri. ii was sente for And whan he was comen vnto a feest he made his two chyldren to be rosted and made them dryÌ„ke theyr bloode O what horrour to se his two chyldren dâ—ye that were so dyscrete In lyke wyse Ethyocles by his bredern receyued grete enormytees by that cursed enuye O thou prudent man yf thou wylte be dyscrete good and wyse fle from enuye thou shalte fynde thyselfe founde of body and soule ¶ Of unpacyence in correccyon ca. li. ¶ He that cheseth an instrument The whiche is vyle and dyshonest And that fooles playe on verament 〈…〉 euy age the other whiche be best He is a foole for without rest He playeth theron 〈…〉 cessyuely Without mu 〈…〉 or melody IMpacyent fooles playenge on instrumentes brynge hether your harpes and lutes with all your other instrumentes accorde them with Proder xxiii Ecc 〈…〉 e. xxii ê“ i. â— xviii my
Solon that was so wyse SoloÌ„ de quo Herodotus He gaue the the good lawes the whiche thou put somtyme in execusyon and for the remuneracyon therof thou put hym in exyle without ony couÌ„sayll takynge O thou Esparte the whiche wolde haue put a grete cryme vpon Lycurgus de quo Justinê° Lycurgus after that he had gyuen the good ryghtes good lawes Scypyon in lyke wyse that was so valyauÌ„t Scipio affri Eitus liuius the whiche kepte his realme so peasybly and in soo good tranquylyte hadde an euyll rewarde for his labour for the people of his countree consydered it full cursydly ¶ Of his owne pleasaunce ca. lvii ¶ Approche you nere all the hole route And beholde this foole full of rage The whiche dothe styre all rounde aboute With the ladyll his owne potage And myrreth his vgly vy sage In a fayre glasse ouer the fyre For his pleasaunce and his desyre APproche you folysshe foles that kepeth the kechynnes yf that ye wyll do ony thynge that is pleasaunt vnto the wyse men for I haue made you potake the whiche is ryght delycyous yf that ye wyll taste of it This foole settynge ê“uer iii. 〈◊〉 ne imitaris de consti Ad Ro. viii his pottes to the fyre is so lunatyke that he taketh no hede to scumme them And in semblable maner he is so Jocunde of them the whiche is but lytell in valure that ê“uer xiii et xiiii he thynketh to be prudent for the beholdynge of them He speculeth alwaye in a glasse ouer the pottes in myrryngehis vgly face Yf that one speke to hym of his face or of his wysdome he wyll speke at auenture and yf the it Eccle. xx Job v. xxviii puer xxxii Esaye iii. Ezechi xvi were to the wysest man of the worlde He thynketh that none may be his pere If that he be argued he wyll answere to theym all He thynketh that he is connynge in his scyence but in the maner of wanhope he hathe his brayne to empty of prudence and is alway redy to vsurpe euery body and in lyke wyse the name of god and of all his sayntes saynge that there is none in the worlde more beautefuller than he nor more connynger how well that he seeth the contrary in the glasse This glasse is euer with hym be it in bedde slepynge or wakynge etynge drynkynge or walkynge What shall I saye of Patrycyus And what shall I saye of Otho the whiche Otho impator speculuz suphabuit Junenalis had grete glasses in his castelles for to se his fayre face therin Euery daye he dyde shaue his berde to the ende that there sholde growe no more heere and also made it to be enoynted with asses mylke Thynke that that apperteyneth Salustius to the wyues as a myrrour fayre forhedes the custome to bynde theyr heere with sylke and the nosegay at theyr ere 's orylyettes rolles in theyr kerchefes peked on hye theyr brestes well decked and theyr gownes Ennius therafter But at this tyme a sorte of fooles vsurpeth all theyr habytes by newe guyses It is grete shame vnto you yonge folkes for to were that the whiche apperteyneth to ladyes I am all ashamed to se the superfluous garmentes for the one wereth that another sholde were For the man taketh the habyte of a woman the woman the habyte of a man and all is nought Pygmalyon made a woman of stone the whiche was so wel PigmoireÌ„ de quâ— ouâ— x. metha 〈…〉 composed that she semed better a lyuynge creature thaÌ„ ony other thynge so moche he behelde her that he was rauysshed in the loue of that woman Narcyus also for one syght was cruelly punysshed for in lokynge in to a fo 〈…〉 tayne he sawe his owne face and wende it had ben his ê“uer iii. loue Echo and as he wolde haue kyssed it he fell in to yâ— welle and was drowned wherfore loke not in no glasses ¶ Of daunces and dysportes ca. lviii ¶ Who reioyseth hym for to daunce With men and women Joyouslye And syngeth by contynuaunce Foule songes full of rybaudrye He is a peruers foole truelye For therby is moche sorowe wrought Bothe in dedes and also thought HErtes affusked of you folysshe dauncers Exodi xxxii â—s xi approche you nere myne instrument and ye maye lerne another daunce For I haue an instrumente swete melodyous These dauncers as well yonge as olde ben reputed furyous and folysshe They haue grete payne and laboure by insacyable dauncynge after the sowne of the folysshe mynstrelles Echone of them taketh a wyfe by grete dyssolucyon They be consonaunt to the Druydes whan theyr grete instrumentes sowneth and holdeth theyr furour for to daunce As the preestes of the temple of Mars that dyde theyr voluptuous sacryfyses so O poore foole that remeueth thy fete so often in the daun Orgia 〈…〉 chi ces without ony cessyÌ„ge Tell me what prouffyte what guerdon or what auayll mayst thou haue therby WhaÌ„ I aduertein my remembraunce the dysportes playes of dauÌ„cers men and women for all conclusyons I can Druyde de quibus Juliê° cesar in coÌ„meÌ„ Selii de 〈◊〉 Uirg ii geor not se by no maner of waye but that the ende is ryghte myserable and vnhappye And all comprehended well there procedeth from them many inconuenyentes and dolours as I haue redde in exody of the chydren of Israhell that were tryumphaunt in the loue of god in deserte the whiche daunced Joyously in skyppynge and lepynge aboute a calfe that was reysed vp vpon a hygh pyller And euen so as god had maunded they were pu nysshed secretely Alas and all was for that cursed dauÌ„cynge Exodi xxxii i. corin x. vide nota gâ— in cle i. de cel misi For whan folkes be replete with mete and drynke ye shall se them daunce and skyppe in makynge grete gambades by inly talente as wel men as women for whan they be full of fatte morselles and of good wyne they fynde women the whiche is pleasaunt and with the darte of loue they be smyten and swalowed in a pytte pryde ensueth it vycyousnes for they ben comen but Inde atteÌ„dâ—tes de sta rel de vi et ho. cl cuÌ„ decorem ê“uer ii for loue vnto suche personages Euery body loueth and serueth Uenus as moche as they maye in commyttyng many euylles and lybydynous playes in kyssynge and clyppynge and is neyther marchynge nor demarchynge but that they thynke theron There is nothynge that maketh the soule of man dymynysshe more and descende vnto dampnacyon This contamyneth the spyrytes organykes and the stomackes of the dauncers They be alwayes in noyses and dothe but crye in constraynynge theyr voyces castynge theyr voluptuous regardes vpon the wyues or maydens And for to dysporte them the more they goo in to euery place soo that with grete payne the temples is excepte And for these vnhappy daunces cometh grete myscheues and inconuenyentes Not alonely to
sayd that a folysshe aduocate wyll crye in the consystorye by cautell for to haue moneye the whiche shall be gyuen hym and by subtyll vnderstondynge wyll affuske the ryghte and dyuers thynges of the whiche I deporte me from spekynge of bycause that I byleue not that suche thynges be done for the aduocate of the aduerse partye may answere The Juge Jugeth not of hymselfe but by couÌ„sayll but and god were an aduocate he sholde be called these ¶ Of fooles abhomynable in wordes ca. lxx ¶ The vayne wordes dysordynate Foule vnclene and abhomynable Reported by fooles approbate Peruers and vnreasonable Beynge therin insacyable In deseruynge maladyccyons For brekynge good constytucyons INutyle fooles the whiche applyeth yourselfe in vyle and dishonest wordes come and se my Ecclesi li. i. esdre vi Mathei v. i. corin xv xxviii q. i. se pe purpose and ye shall lerne to speke honestlye Dyuers foles named gorbyens ben assembled togyder by grete hepes halowynge the festes of theyr auncyent faders They loue all thynges enorme as well men as women They enhaunce the aulters of theyr faders And whan they haue vysyted the chirches the olde yonge man or woman vyrgyn mayden oâ— chaste without ony ordre renneth and medleth them in abhomynacyons makynge the feest berynge ensence in theyr handes spekynge vyle wordes makynge grete noyse tumulte One can not chastyse them from syÌ„ne for synne holdeth them alwayes And so they reygne on the erthe without vertues they haue no shame nor vyr gynyte is not due at this tyme for no body For euery body regneth nowe in the pleasures mondaynes destroyenge theyr bodyes and soules He is called a naturall Ouidius i. methamor â—s xii Eccle. xx ê“uer xi Eccle. v. ii pe ii foole that with his propre handes ryngeth the bell hangynge at the sowes necke I praye the foole gyue audyence vnto my wordes yf that thou haue ony volente for to go vpon the see Loke that thou be well ware of the yre of the see swyne the whiche wyll folowe thy shyppe doynge the grete trouble and myschefe by longe contynuaunce By the meane wherof yf that thou wylte haue good remedye thou muste loke yf that thy shyppe be not to sore laden for yf that it be to sore charged thou muste fynde the meanes for to caste out some tonne or barell that he maye playe with or dyscharge it by pompes that be in the shyppe and auoyde the water or elles the shyppe wyll perysshe in the see Therfore be confessed and repentaunte for your synnes or that ye mounte vpon the see for full lytell knowe ye what perylles ye shal haue Amonge you bacchus seruauntes that drynketh wyne lyke sponges to the ende that ye falle not in grete incoÌ„uenyences leue it The sowe produceth bryngeth Ad ephe v. psal xl forth many lytell pygges the whiche dothe ensue theyr moder whan she putteth her in the myre and i 〈…〉 undycyte Euen so is it of dyuers yonge men that ensueth Hieremie â—i Esaye â—li Ad coâ— iii. Ad TituÌ„ i. theyr frendes in vyle and abhomynable synnes wyll not purge nor clense theyr conseyences nor honoure the thynges the whiche ben vtyle and good And yf they haue ony vyle â—atche vpon them they kepe it for good hap The hogge is crowned and aourned honourably There is many men women of his condycyon by the whiche meane some be full of vyle ordure where as they take nourys shynge 〈…〉 r the body and the soule And with theyr mouthes they vttre many vyle and dishonest wordes as men vnreasonable Ha good lorde yf Horrestes reygned nowe and hadde domynacyon ouer the people Horestes ê“uer xii Eccle. xxxi Eccâ—ie xxxii Esaye lxvi as he hathe hadde in tymes paste he wolde saye that ye be furyous people ye delyte you in the foule synne of glotony etynge lyke swyne and drynkynge lyke pegyons also longe as your brethes may holde Suche folkes doynge suche sacryfyses ought to be adnychylled and dyspraysed totally ¶ Of the estate abuse spyrytuell lxxi ¶ Some dothe the goodes spyrytuell Coueyte in aege not couenable But whan they muste do thactuell And with god dyne at his table They be therto nothynge notable For the worlde and his vanyte Draweth them to perplexyte FOlysshe hertes ecclesyastyques come anâ—rede this chapytre ye shall fynde thyÌ„ges helthefull vnto your soules ¶ Now vnder stonde what is lefte behynde for to speke of viii q. i. i scripturis et c. moyses As I sate musynge all alone there came a grete turbe of folke before me clothed lyke men of the chirche vnder the coloure of scyence takynge vpon them the holy ordre of preesthode And after they resemble vn to ydoles or puppees wherfore by this meane all the chirche is vndone For they put yonge chyldren in the hyghe places of the chirche for to dyscerne the ruyne of the souerayne estates O you men the whiche desyreth for too gyue a benefyce vnto your chylde and knoweth well that he is no clerke and that he hathe no scyence nor no vertues in hym ye wyll haue a lusty galaunt the whiche is replete with greate vyces Doctryne prouffyteth nothynge to suche folkes for they founde themselfe vnder dame xviii dis nos auÌ„t glo i. xxi dis cleros xxiii dis his igitur xii q. i. quia Numa pom. xxxvi dis oportet xcv dis ecce xcvi dis ques dubitet xliiii dis 〈◊〉 to pecune that at this present tyme is a grete pryncesse the whiche corrumpteth the sacrefyses offyces of god The renowne of suche preestes is dysproclamed and a bolyd and is almoost but fyccion Numa pompoÌ„ sacred dyuers preestes as them of whome I haue spoken neuerthelesse they were replete with good condycyons It is the faute of our pastours and the culpe of our bysshoppes archebysshoppes and soueraynes the whiche selleth the honour of the chirche and gyueth them vnto vycyous and vnconnynge men that knoweth neyther chapytres nor decretes O meschaunte men what furoure hathe taken you for to approche and set your handes on the sacrefyce of god O poore fooles there is none estate vppon the erthe more daungerous than that of the chirche Good lorde what is the relygyon as well of the chirche of the seculer monkes and relygyous men How well that the ordres were constytuted dyuynely for to serue the honoure the this notwithstondynge vnder the coloure of the habyte they be replete with malyce and synne vnderit O holy ordre of god sacred thou arte at this tyme well maculed Thy name was blessyd all aboute better honoured than at this presente tyme for nowe thorughe all the vnyuersall worlde is but vycyous synne and vnhappynes ¶ O blessyd lorde Ihesu cryste how thou endurest many wronges and offences in this vale of mysery of them the whiche sholde be myrrours vnto the poore people that sholde endoctryne them in goode werkes and operacyons and in good vertues The holy
that it were not for the grete rychesses that Juuenalis they be replete with Dyuers sholde be hanged brente or slayne yf that it were not for theyr goodes And by this meane abydeth many vnpunysshed The pore man that hathe nothynge shall be greuously punysshed By suche meanes is commytted soo many euylles that it is horrour Achas that was kynge of Samarye vsurped Achas iii. Reg. xxi Eccle. v. Jezabell all his subgectes for he was not contente with his realme Naboth had a fayre arbour and a delectable to this kynge the kynge asked it hym eyther to sell or to haue as moche for it but Naboth sayd he wolde not breke the arbour of his fader for that sholde be to grete dyshonour He departed from thens and came in to his house and layde hym downe vpon his bedde he myght neyther ete vi q. iii. paup Juuenalis Lucanus xv q. ii illa no. de rescrip statatuÌ„ li. vi bea tho ii ii q. clxxx viii ar iii. ê“uer xix xii q. ii crates Roma Qui curtius dendatus Publicola Fabritius M. regulus de q o tulliê° i of Apuletus Grecia Aristotelis epaminuÌ„das Homerus Socrates Eccle. xi Roma Augustinus Duidius Eccle. x viii Larthago ê“uer xxii Juuenalis nor drynke His wyfe arryued there the whiche was ryght sorowfull but whan she knewe wherfore it was she sayd vnto hym that he sholde take no thought TheÌ„ she wente and shewed it vnto the grettest of the towne And she exhorted them soo moche that they stoned hym to dethe But god knoweth all for meÌ„broth was slayne for that the whiche the kynge suffred folysshely Thus is the poore oppressed by the ryche In the tyme of the golden leage pouerte was praysed and well maynteyned And by her was good lyfe without enuye euery bodylyued Euery body vsed largenesse and negardyse was expulsed by her was had good vertues and scyences auaryce was not then reygnynge Al the estates reygned in peas and vnyon with the people Vertues and honoure was with pouerte All grete prynces and lordes was replete with vertues and pouerte They domyned in euery prouynge As Curtius and his felowes that helde the Samnytes ausonye and dyuers other cytees bycause that they were enclyned to serue pouerte They maynteyned the thynges publyke mounted vp in honoure and excellence Pouerte was cause she was of heuen of the worlde the hye pryce the gate of heuen at this tyme for thou berest the keye O publycolle thou berest honoure is dygne of grete laude bycause that thou mayÌ„teyned pouerte O fabrycyus thou arte worthy to be praysed for thou dyspraysed all the grete gyftes of Pyrrus Pouerte gaue the honour I pray the folysshe ryche man consyder that pouerte hathe done many excellent werkes As to crowne kynges To dyscerne Justyce estatâ—s of realmes she hathe loued doctrynes Grece respleÌ„dyssheth in pouerte and all scyence is extracte therfro The grace of pouerte fleeth neuer Arystotle EpaminuÌ„ces Homerus Socrates were grete phylosophres and excellente poetes notwithstondynge they were poore desyred no rychesse Rychesse gaue neuer no goodes but hathe destroyed many realmes ¶ By pryde is knowen how Rome is decayed many men it peryssheth Cartage came vnto ruyne It engendreth all euylles There is nothynge more excellenter nor more sweter than pouerte â—resê° de quo Herodo li. i. ê“uer xii Eccle. xvi Marti x. Wherfore do we loue otherthynge than We myrre ourselfe in this vnhappy moneye that ledeth the soule vnto helle Tell me what auaylled the rychesse vnto kynge crassus or to Sardanapalê° or other To speke shortly there is nothynge worse nor more abhomynable Pouerte gyueth fruycyon to the realme of heuen Wherfore you cursed fooles that dyspryseth pouerte know that ye shall be banysshed and expulsed from the realme of paradyse Of hi that wyll not perseuer in goodnes ca. lxxx ¶ Dyuers fooles wyll the carte drawe By wanhope and iniquyte Without reason or ony lawe Lyuynge in grete calamyte Deuoyde of blysse and prosperyte And all thrugh theyr folysshe bobaunce Not folowynge perseueraunce NOw without ony lenger delaye foles that wyll not perseuer in goodnes make a lepe in to our shyppe and ye shall knowe the gre Luce. ix Ecc 〈…〉 xxxviii de pe dis ii multi Abacuc i. ii â—orin vi Ad hebre iii. Ad hebre xii te erroure that ye be in and ye shall se the robuste man begynne to werke the which whan he hathe tasted it ones wyll neuer leue it Now yf thou wylte vnderstonde this thynke where as I wyll falle to the ende that thou take ensygnement and here my sentence amyably Our shyppe calleth all these men bycause that they be couenable to drawe the cordes of our saylles or do some other thynge aboute in the shyp vnderneth the hatches and aboute the pompe and stere They the whiche begynne for to lyue well and vertuously and make clene theyr soules frome synne wyll ensue good doctrynes and vertuous scyences and cast out from your conscyences the infeccyons and fylthes Eccle. ii pictagoras But who that gothe vp a mountayne to holde the somet and abydeth in the halfe waye it is grete pyte and yf he loke behynde hym he destroyeth hymselfe and leseth all the vertues that were resplendy sshynge in hym he was debonayre but he perseuered not therin dyuers be of theyr condycyons The other wyll goo in the waye of Josue vii ê“uer xxvi Exodi xvi Nume xiiii veryte where as is Justyce and ryght but whan they be at the halfe waye they torne the brydell in to the waye polluted and so strayeth out of the ryght waye for they tourne theyr faces awaye and beholde the perfounde places of mondanytees As the chyldren of Israhell to whome our lorde had done so moche good and loued so perfytely and made them to be ledde out of captyuyte by Moyses in to deserte And after they murmured saynge that god wolde predestyne them vnto grete myschefe bycause that he hadde put them in to so barayne a countre and taken them from that the whiche was soo fructuous God knowynge theyr murmuracyon made Mathei xv Luce. ii apoca 〈…〉 i. Hieremie iii. it to rayne manna from heuen for to se yf that they wolde kepe theyr lawe They dyde well But in the ende they wolde do euyll Then for to come vnto my purpose I saye that he the whiche wyll be the waye to serue god after be wrappeth his body in synne knowe that his es tate is ryght daungerous for he honoureth that the whiche is of no valure example of a seke man to whome the physycyen sayeth that he wyll hele hym I demaunde i. q. i. c. veÌ„tuÌ„ Depe dis 1. c. qÌ„ pertinet xcii di plurimos the yf he wyll obserue his commaundement naye and yf he impayre who is it longe on of hymselfe bycause he wolde not byleue his good couÌ„sayll the whiche was for his helthe Yf thou had a grete
synfull creature lyuynge here in this wretched worlde to the ende that they may amende them and wepe theyr synnes by entyere contrycyon for to haue clene remyssyon of theyr synnes by the meanes of repentaunce and true penaunce The whiche ledeth a man vnto the realme of paradyse where as is Joye consolacyon withouten ende Some there is the whiche setteth not therby but dysprayseth de â—se distin iiii c. i. xxiiii q. i. oei de â—se distin i. in die xxiiii distin cum liceat xxiii dis his igitur xiiii dis non oportet all that they maye the holy commaundementes of our lorde Ihesu cryste They honour not the lawe in no maner of wyse but is maculed and defyled by theym In the chirche is fayre and excellente werkes and by theyr obstynate and cruell outrage the ymage of god is al cyrcumspecte How wel that the popes archebysshop pes and bysshoppes that were replenysshed with scyence hathe ordeyned the holydayes of god and of all the sayntes men and women of whome we halowe the soâ—empâ—â— â—â—stes and offyces on the dayes establysshed as well oâ— god as of sayntes and sayntesses of all the courte ce 〈…〉 ll We dyspyse these holydayes and honoure more â—â—ndanytes vycyous to the body and soule By the meane wherof we dysprayse the lawe the holy scrypture 〈◊〉 almoost vsurped and set at nought On the holydayes is made playes daunces glotonyes lecheryes fraudes and deceytes and coÌ„myt suche enormytes without makynge oblacyon vnto god or prayers or go ynge to holy chirche But breke theyr faste or that they go vnto the chirche And the moost comynly without he rynge ony messe For suche folkes gothe in to the tauernes and there replenyssheth theyr wombes with mete and drynke without thynkynge vpon god or on his chirche mylytaunt They obserue not the holy commaundementes ¶ And yf that one demonstre them theyr folye they wyll argue with them and repreue them that hath accomplysshed the commaundementes of god and holy chirche They neyther worshyp god nor his sayntes for seneca ad lucillum i epi. xviii c. placita de â—se di iii. irreligiosa actuū◠〈◊〉 thessa v Esaie xviii and yf by aduenture they be in the chirche they wyll folowe the one the other and without the herynge of a ho le messe they wyl go to breke faste saynge that two snuffes is worthe a candell and there they brule the hye masse and drynketh and shoteth theyr euensonge Alas ye be sore abused poore fooles for ye lye falsely for the masse ought to be herde entyerely and euensonge also but as for matyns that is slepte ye and oftentymes halfe the hye masse to O vnreasonable fooles hathe not Ihesu cryst coÌ„maunded with his propre mouthe that none sholde Hiere xvii leuiti xxx Marci 〈◊〉 werke on the sondayes and holydayes I praye the yf that thou haue not lerned to kepe the holydayes kepe theÌ„ from hens forth orelles thou shal neuer haue nought rye aboue all the worlde domynynge But by theyr prâ—de auaryce and lecherye they be at this presâ—â—â—e tyme of the moost lowest ¶ O noble Englonde thoâ— arte at this presente tyme florysshynge in puyssaunce honoure rychesse and chyualrye Thou hast subdued in thy tyme Rome Almayne FrauÌ„ce Scotlonde and dyuers other regyons ye and a grete parte of Turkye by thy cheual rous puyssaunce Thy puyssauÌ„ce and myght is so incoÌ„parable and so pugyll that vnto hethenes and Turky thou arte redoubted and fered Thou arte haboundauÌ„t in all mondayne goodes Thou arte replete with all sapyence and wysdome Thou arte aourned and endued with all goodly meurs and condycyons Thou arte ful fylled with dyscrete habytauntes Thou hast the elemeÌ„tes the erthe and the see that fauoureth the. Wherfore be well ware and haue good aspecte that pryde auaryce and lecherye reygne not in the for certaynly yf there do thou shalte inclyne as the Romaynes hathe done Maynteyne alwaye true Justyce and loue perfytely holy chirche and the comyn welfare And susteyne euery ryghtwyse quarell in defendynge poore maydens and faderles chyldren poore wedowes and all the holy chirche And yf that thou do so god shall loue the and gyue the puyssaunce to ouercome thyn enemyes Wherfore loke that thou mayntayne within the good folkes iuste And that thou punysshe the transgressours and do euery body ryght and reason ¶ Of fooles infydeles ca. lxxxxiiii ¶ The infydeles and myscreauntes I haue wylled for to put here Bycause they adoure termagauntes And wyll no holy scrypture lere Nor worshyp Cryste by no manere Notwithstonde they be not worthy To be put in this booke truely I Se the grete turbe of infydeles come towarde Eccle. x. ii corin iiii et v Sapien. xiiii i. corinth vii ii q. i. multi de diuor gau demus xxii dis plurimos xvi q. i. in canonibus me impetuously The whiche wyll come in to our shyp for to dresse the saylles They make theyr preparacyons for to haue place This turbe is so huge and so innumerable that the erthe and the see may scarsely sustayne them soo many there is in euery quarter thorughe the worlde the whiche is straungers For they be not closed within the walles of our holy fayth catholyke I myght well ynoughe haue lefte them behynde for in our shyppe we haue noo nede of them seynge that they be so replenysshed with erroure and that they haue no nede of the salue nor me decyne for to hele them for they wyll not loue god honoure hym nor lyue vnder his nourysshynge It hadde ben better for me to haue made medecynes for to haue heled the crysten men than for these folkes full of iniquyte peruers and abhomynable They bere susteyn within theyr brestes pectoralles many vgly deuylles Of these folkes is so many that it is meruayll They renye our fayth our lawe and our hope If I wolde speke more playnly of them as I haue intellygence my paper were to lytell therto Wherfore I shall specefye vnto you here of theyr sectes The fyrste ben the Turkes with the Sarasyns and the men of the londe of tartary these vyllayne machomatyâ—yens of whome yssueth all erroure All these regyons ensueth them that I shal declare vnto you Affryke and the lymyttes Asye a londe thâ—r 〈…〉 Saracem ta â—ari Scythe Boemi Moranâ— Praga Hereticâ— L. de his qui sibi mor. â—sci l. vna xxiii q. v. pla â–ª cuit ryght puyssaunt the moost grettest parte of europe samarytyque sythe boeme and the monans Al our shyp is full of suche folke for they honoure the euyll ensygnementes and dysprayseth the good They be of theym that folowe the cursed scole of Nygromancye the whiche en duceth them in charmes dyabolyke the whiche is of grete tempest his semblable They be these heretykes that wolde brynge our fayth vnto nought They honoure the vayne mysteryes They preche in holy relygyon in vyle chirches and recyte false thynges and inutyle agaynste the
not for to were superfluous garmentes The bookes that be made in Englysshe touchynge the secretes of the fayth causeth dyuers errours and specyally to women symple men Pallas Eccle. vii Ezechi vii is put byneth no glorye laude rewarde nor lycoure is gyuen vnto the studyens so the labour of these clerkes is in vayne The tyme is comen that the fayth is subuerted to dysdayne And the prophetes haue aduertysed dyuers men The tyme is comen that these false prophetes conuerteth the worlde by seduccyon and cautulous artes ¶ Of them that hydeth trouthe ca. C. ¶ Who that for drede or for fauour Dothe hyde the trouthe and veryte Or who that for loue or lycour Letteth the dede of charyte He is a foole for certaynte For they be of Antecrystes lyne That causeth suche thynges to take fyne ENtende vnto my saynges you fooles that hydeth trouthe For how well that your vnderstondynges is pure and clene and full of scyences yet you be ydyottes For you be full of errours of menaces of rancours of vayn wordes in lettynge the good coÌ„maundementes to be recyted and reherced â—las they knowe not the ensygnementes for fere the whiche sholde vnderstonde theym xxxviii diâ— sedulo Pâ— xxxv ê“uer â—ii Eccle. xii Mathei x. â—i q. iii. quis metu xi dis si papa xâ—iii dis sit te 〈◊〉 ActuuuÌ„ x. â—3 q. iii. 〈◊〉 â–ª traÌ„sfertur For they hyde them for fere or for loue Cursed be you the whiche do so for ye do it to please this transytorye worlde and to dysplease the celestyall realme of paradyse that is a hondreth thousande tymes of more valure Thynke that god hathe gyuen you vnderstondynge and reason for to teche them the whiche is vnprudent and dyscrete Wherfore hyde you the passages of trouthe wherfore speke you not hardely preche the holy scrypture Haue you taken moneye or fere you to be in euyll grace for the whiche ye dare not tell the trouthe Know you not euydently that our lorde Ihesu cryste hathe gyuen you this excellent scyence for to declare the trouthe vnto euery body Of you I can not holde my pease Knowe you not that ye leue the symple folkes all deuoyde of vertues by your euyll prechynge you ought to exorte euery body to lyue well Alas and you do nothynge you know well by experyence that you lese bothe your bodyes and your soules myserably Take ensample of the good Uyrgyll for Eccle. iiii et xix xi q. 〈◊〉 nemo xxii q. ii ne quis arbitre Uirgilius de viro bono Juuenalis de thauro phalâ— Dionisius Thobie iiii Johannes he the whiche is a clerke refulgente sayeth He is moche doutable that hydeth trouthe And he is right vertuous that telleth the crymes the euylles of the vycyous men and women How well that for tellynge of trouthe there hath ben sene dyuers hanged and quartred And for all that yf that ye sholde haue the same punysshement ye ought euer to saye the trouthe The wyse man neuer fereth payne nor fauoure But kepeth stedfaste fotynge agaynst euery body vertue fauoureth hym For he is coÌ„tente to lese all his goodes for to saye trouthe How well that yf he chese for to correcke his dethe those wordes is of no substaunce He fereth not the shame of the vycyous men for theyr wordes is opprobryous and of none effecte For the vertue nor the honoure of a good man is not the worse for the babelynge of an euyll persone Correccyon is euer replete with scyence for it repreueth the synners of theyr vyces and reduseth them vnto vertuous ê“ueâ— ix Luce. vii Eccâ— xxxviâ— Eccle. xxi Hiere li. lyuynge Thynke on saynt Johan baptyst the whiche was replenysshed with all holynes and that ensued vertues fledde vyces And for his holynes good lyfe god humylyed hym vnto hym in praynge hym to bapty sehym He fayned hym not for to correcke Herode Antypas bycause that he helde the wyfe of Herodiades the whiche was the broder of Herode Antypas ¶ Correcke then theyr vyces and synnes with swete wordes And yf they receyue not correccyon yet shall you receyue meryte one waye or other for the repreuynge of synne for correckynge And so thy good dede shall not be loste for worldly thynges hyde not trouthe for who that letteth to saye trouthe for gyftes dampneth his soule truely â–ª Whan the doctours ben bysshoppes or haue benefyces ye shall not here them preche nor crye no more for trouthe in them is hydde and may not take the payne no more And on the other syde they dare not saye nothynge lest they sholde lese theyr benefyces To withdrawe the good dede what it is ca. C. i. ¶ Who that wyll let a man prudent To do werkes of honeste Or put ony empesshemente Betwene folke of affynyte He is a foole for certaynte So thynkynge to let the good dede The whiche he may not by no spede FRom all partes assemble fooles the whiche thynketh to withdrawe the good dedes by Math. xvi Marti viii ê“uer xxiiii Ad Roma i. PsÌ„ xxxvi your grete foly Come and rede this scryptu re and ye shall fynde thynges ryght prouffytable to the helthe of your soules He is a very foole full of wanhope the whiche thynketh to lette the good operacyons He is Impetuous and full of crudelyte he taketh them not by the handes And for to haue intellygence of my saynges I wyll saye that the iust man rchersynge some good purpose shall be argued of the foole He hathe iuche wyll that he wyll that euery body accorde vnto hym for and they were a hondreth he wylspeke to them all And yf ony of them be wylde heded folys she he wyll holde on his partye and pursue the Just with maltalent the whiche gothe the ryght waye Also dothe he the noble and lerned and wyll not folowe the ryght waye but gothe in the vycyous waye He is curyous to dyffame the wyse man and wyll haue the name of scyence and to clarefye the lyght And whan the dyscrete man gyueth the true sentence he wyll make grete ê“uer xiiii Eccie xiii Eccle. xx Sapien. v. noyse with his fete and handes for to let his saynges to be herde of the dyscrete and wyse men And yf the wyse man be dysposed to lyue vertuously this foole shal be enuyous vpon hym And yf he chese a delectable place to do good in this foole shall put hym in the waye to make perturbacyon And shall fayne hym to haue grete scyence he dyffameth the wyse without ony reason Thus he surprysed with foly thynketh to haue more reason and Luce. xii i. thimo iiii Mathei v. ii thimo ii wytte than the other he wyll lyue secretely lyke an vnreasonable foole All vyle thynges mondayne pleaseth hym He dysprayseth god by his wanhope and grete foly in makynge the ypocryte and begylynge the symple folkes he maketh the ypocryte wherby wyse men is deceyued Our wylles is semblable
fi c. a crapula de vi 〈◊〉 ho. 〈◊〉 Hora. in epis Persius de reli 〈◊〉 ve san c. i. xxxv dis lux the they receyue all drynkes They prouoke the one the other in theyr houses and then they drynke so excessyfly that it ouercometh theyr stomackes And drynke vnto theyr god Bacchus the one vnto the other by cuppes pottes full enforcynge themself ouer theyr naturall my ghte And thus they spyllby excesse bothe the body and the soule After that they haue well dronken they fyght lyke beggers fallynge in the fylthe and myre lyke swyne And afterwarde they are syke haue theyr membres contamyned the synewes retrayed leseth theyr wyttes and vnderstondynges in slepynge lyke beres O pore fooles be ye not ashamed to do suche enormytees in a place where as ye shall neuer wynne honour At the table you ought to be honest but ye be so vyllaynous that many lerneth euyl condycyons of you It appertayneth not to you to be with good folkes It is sene at this tyme Eccle. xxxi Osee. iiii Luce. xxi puer xii et xxii Curius Luce. xiiii puer xxv Leui. xix iusti de iutÌ„ na i. glo fi r co li. 〈◊〉 bo posses de of in c. i. sardanapalê° iustinê° li. i. de sepul ca. certi futuri c. qr diuersi de conclusi prebendaruÌ„ Terentius Persius quitiliar us l. ii ff ad tre bel qr pote puer iii. ad collo iii. Thobie ii Esaie li. i. thess ii 〈◊〉 v. aristo ii de anima Ecclesi v. Horatius Eccâ— xxxvii Tulliê° in of Seneca Juuenalis that the yonge wyllsytte aboue the olde They ete delycyous metes without ony shame for be it burgeyse marchaunt or other they put themselfe euer before the platter they drynke in etynge of theyr potage they consume all And with theyr vyllaynous handes they wyl touche the mete before the other They wyll blowe theyr noses and without ony mesure wyll ete theyr mete and wyll drynke without makynge clene of theyr mouthes and then they synge with dysplayed throtes in makyng many vyle sacrefyces to the god Bacchus Then they breke pottes glasses platters dysshes and saucers in hurlyÌ„ge them vpon the erthe as men enraged and out of their naturall wyttes and then at drynkynge tyme they ete that the whiche the seruauntes sholde ete O Sardana palus thou hast dyuers companyons in the worlde for we wyll not put all these glotons in our werke that haue no fourme for to lyue honestly How well that the one is of Grece the other latyns or hebrewes eche hathe his maner to lyue The one is fatte the other is lene after the maner of theyr countrees Some be symple the other gracyous and honest Some is vertuous and wyse the other is dronkertes and glotons Then after that they haue eten and dronken so moche that theyr belyes aketh they demaunde the realme of paradyse They haue theyr thought to superfluous to thynke for to go to paradyse in that maner Alas Ihesus thou haste made vs for to drynke wyne and ete mete in this worlde But also thou hast coÌ„maunded vs that we be no glotons that we take our repast moderately Alas our bodyes fumeth of haboundaunce of metes We haue truste that by stronge drynkynge our lyues shall be prolonged and in lyke wyse that the wyne wyll make vs haue good blode and also that our soules is vpholden by the blode for al that god sayeth it not but hathe ordeyned mesure tyme and houre to ete and drynke for who that is excessyfe he consumeth body and soule and abredgeth his lyfe All vertues were somtyme in noblenesse and in the courtes of prynces But nowe at this present tyme they be more astonyed than gese They are all corrumped with dronkeÌ„nes pompes and estates ful of flateryes they haue lost the name of the auncyent men and are renowmed vndyscrete men The werkes of the auncyent men appety teth by the holy lawes that they haue wryten dyuers other bookes And nowe they knowe nothynge no more than wylde beestes and scyence is gouerned by the pore and vertuous men eleuate in honour and be oftentymes preferred afore the noblenesse ¶ Of foles dysfygured takynge straunge clothynges ca. C. vii ¶ Democrytus the sapyent By this that he sawe so grete foly Of fooles that were neclygent He laughed faste and that on hye Bycause they coude no polycye And Cynycus wepeth ryght fast Bycause that the worlde is not stedfast YF demochrytus lyued that he sawe so many fooles as is in the worlde now he wolde laughe Crassus wolde laughe also to se the enormytees of the mondayne fooles the whiche ê“uer xiiii Juuenalis l. siâ—s C. de pe Pliniê° li. vii Solinus Crassus De. vi 〈◊〉 ho. cle cuÌ„ decoreÌ„ had neuer wyll for to laughe but ones Wherfore the auncyent phylosophers haue wylled for to wryte it not with stondynge he wolde laughe at the obscure tempestes and to se the fooles garded and bordred dysfygured the whiche be full of vyces and synnes and weneth to be iuste One may knowe them for they reseÌ„ble the preestes of god Mars whiche wyll doo sacrefyce in grete furoure and apparaylleth them for to doo this vyle sacrefyce remeuynge theyr bodyes in manere of a daunce These fooles bere the vesture of a symulacre Druyde de quibê° lucanê° Menades Persiê° sati i. resemble a Chymere one wayleth wepeth The other bycause that he wolde appere fayre anoyÌ„teth hym with swete oyntemeÌ„tes the one hathe his vysage mortefyed olde they bere the vesture of a lusty galant the other haue euer borowed clothes the other haue party clothes the other haue theyr gownes of getyque and thus they make theyr pompes The other couÌ„terfetteth the deuylles vysage ferefull and abhomynable The louer bereth Lemures de quibus Dui Eccle. xxv C. de epi. câ— l. mime in anÌ„t de san epi. col ix Saturnalia CoÌ„pitalitia MaÌ„murius an instrument of musyque playnge swetely to the ende that the yonge maydens may here it or afore the dore of some burgeyse or wyfe rennynge vpon the nyght in lesynge theyr tyme vycyously the mayden reioyseth her thynkynge all on decepcyons And corrumpeth the hertes of these tendre maydens and the lycoure vyrgynall theyr softe beddes and by all dyssolucyons that is done in this worlde thrughe the vyle synners The other shall come in to thy house and stele thy hennes Who that fleeth not from suche folke shall coÌ„mytte innumerable synnes for they do incessauntly noyses debates cryes and exclamacyons They represent them that make the feest of saturne as men out of theyr wyttes goynge with peruers hertes crabbed as the ape hydynge theyr vysages with some other hydeous face that resembleth almoost the dethe and theyr bodyes couered with vyle vestures Faber C. de pe l. si quis de cri fal ad audi entiam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fucare O peruers fooles wyll you chaunge your natures
corporall otherwyse than god hathe gyuen them you wyll redresse of immaculacyon your humanyte I se that by vanyte this forme shall be affusked not alonely vnto suche folkes but to these burgeyses full of rychesses I coÌ„playne more these symulacres deceptyues in holy feestes for in place to serue god and the vyrgyn Mary they are at daunces lecherye and playes without obseruynge the holy feestes in ony wyse And in the tyme of lente whan euery body sholde haue the benedyccyon of god we take false vysages after our pleasures full of vyces in the whiche we lye alwayes and yf that we ryse it is very late for we perseuer vnto the ende And yf there come ony to correcke vs we set nought therby to synne we be not ashamed and knowe well our maculacyon and maye not take the correccyon alas where is correccyon whether is she gone nowe she is thynne sowen in crystendo de con dis v. quadragesia me euery maÌ„ doth not after nature ryght for they oughte to do iniuryes vnto theym that wereth the habyte of deuylles for certaynly they shall bere them vnto hell at the laste ¶ Of the true descrypcyon of prudent men ca. C. viii ¶ The wyse man the whiche is prudent Dothe moche good where so euer he go Gyuynge examples excellent Unto them the whiche are in wo Techynge them in all vertues so That they may not in to synne fall Yf that they hertly on god call COme here good doctryne foles that knoweth not what prudence is ye shall here the dyscrypcyon of a prudent man The ensygnemetes Socrates Uirgilius 〈…〉 neca i eâ—pis qudec 〈…〉 tu 〈…〉 s in ê‘a of Uyrgyle of Socrates haue ben so autentyques that it is sayd that in the vnyuersall worlde can none be fouÌ„de seÌ„blables in scyence wher fore me thynketh that they were dygne for to haue yâ— degre for theyr souerayne louynge If socrates were not so grece as Uyrgyll sayeth in his verses Dyuyne scyence and wysdome hanged in hym vertue and bounte made hym refulgent The Juge that careth not for the chydynges Ecclesia â—i Sapien. â—i and cryenges of his people is wyse and yssueth grete lyght Justyce noysom to equyte He is euer in the ryght waye he wyll not slepe on the daye tyll that he haue thought on that the whiche is necessarye for hym all wyse men do so and at euery houre is replete with grete vertues and by his grete praysynges bereth the semblaunce of aungelles O Ihesus at my wyll I wolde that Ecclesi vi ê“uer x. Eccle. xviii Ecclesi xii Ec. xxxviii Ecclesia i. ê“uer iiii Esay v. ê“uer xxix aristides Lurias Fabricus Plato Latho ê“uer ix Sapien. v. Germanie defectu euery body resplendysshed so in scyence or that euery bodyes conscyence were clene It is no grete meruayll yf that there is so many foles at this present tyme for they vary from the grete lady scyence If a yonge courage haue sapyence by trauayll he shall abyde without hauyng ony goodes But begylers full of fraudes and malyces they wyll saye that they haue the iuste tytle of noblenes and yf they knewe nothynge Alas aristides the iuste the noble curius the good fabricus and the souerayne plato the grete cathon shall not haue nowe the preemynence that they had in the tyme that dame sapyence regned bycause of these fooles that can nothynge the whiche mocketh the wyse men is gyuen to them monday ne glorye honour and prayse They haue the grete auauÌ„ tages how well that they are indygne To whome grete robberyes and fraudes is adressed They vsurpe the places the whiche are ordeyned for the wyse and dyscrete men the whiche haue better deserued it If that Almay ne the vyctoryous had gyuen rewardes vnto euery body his renowne had not ben soo moche dymynysshed there sholde not haue ben so many fooles in our shyppe but some wyll not applye the holy scyence nor kepe the holy coÌ„maundementes of god but were folysshe vestures full of myseryes as we haue wryten and put in fygure The foole that wyll lyue wysely also longe as he reygneth in this worlde lyue after the wrytynge of Uyrgyle Knowe that he shall haue in shorte tyme for his good dedes rest in heuen perdurably For to kepe thy body and thy soule amende the to the ende that thou maye tast of this herbe that is called ambrosia O folkes replete with foly come and here what wysedome sayeth and taste of her worthy pasture offre chyldren vnto sapyence that is pryncypall lady to the ende that ye may haue dyscrecyon The kynges somtyme had sapyence but at this tyme ê“uer xiii Uirgilius Ecclesia iii. Sapien. vi Titio theba qui et Brant they haue no more for all theyr dysporte is but in vanytees and defyle the holy scryptures Alexandre the grete was soo well lerned that he made his cronycles hymselfe in latyn in fayre rethoryke He made nothynge but that the whiche was iuste done by hym or by his men of armes ¶ Of the recoÌ„mendacyon of phylosophye ca. Cix ¶ At this tyme doctryne is decayed And nought set by in no place For euery man is well appayed To gete good with grete solace Not carynge how nor in what space Puttynge the fayre and dygne sophye Under fete with phylosophye AWaken a lytell your spyrytes you the which entendeth vnto the thynges superiours for who someuer dothe pretende and without PsÌ„ xix Johelis i. Apocaâ— vi sap 〈…〉 n. i. tuâ—ê° ê“archi a oporta Ecclesia iii. ê“uer ii Ecclesi i. purpose wyl ascende hye he is a foole for he sholde not ymagyne nor pretende to be there yf that he be not clene of all his membres to the ende that at the hyghe sacrefyces of encence as apperteyneth vnto phylosophye and to be endued with ensygnementes and by his refulgente and dyuyne acquayntaunce of eloquence swete and pleasaunt the solace of his vayne desyres and inutyle documentes of good lyuynge to ensue holynes the swete and sure waye to paradyse Alas we may put all euylles behynde eschewe all vyle vyces and haue alegement for god hymselfe hathe sente vs in to this worlde for to lyue well Also that whan we shall haue nede of his sapyence and vertues that he maye mynystre it vnto vs at our extremytees so that we demaunde it hym with good herte and intere wyll for in hym is the receptacle of all the poore gendre humayne the whiche is prepared with his fayre ornementes gyrded with a vesture of people or clothe of fyne sendall all aboute his membres and vpon his heed the grete frontelet For all that it is not of one holdynge myner ues of the tyme present of his stones perles and Jewelles these ornementes be verytable establysshed otherwyse vpon the sholders and hede yet it sparpleth better with the fete the roses in all places The prudent oughte SapieÌ„ vi et nono Eccâ— xxvi