thynge wyll make a faute or offence to her felowe but wyll kepe her onely vnto hym ¶ Saynte Hierome saythe that is soone loste and destroyed in him which wil not refraine his tongue hys eyes and hys harte In the Summe of Vyces it is redde that he whyche wyll haue perfyte Chastytye in hym he muste keepe hym selfe pryncypallye from syxe thynges that is to saye from to muche and excessyfe Eatynge and Princekynge wherof is redde in the lyfe of Holye Fathers that in lyke case as it is impossyble to wythholde the fire that it do make no flambe after that it is well lyghted so it is impossyble to refrayne the wil and the desyre of Lecherye after that the bodye is replete and full of delycious meates and drynckes The Seconde thynge whyche is necessary to kepe Chastytie is that the person be not Idle ¶ For Ouide sayth that Lecherye dyeth in hym whyche is not Idle the thyrde thynge is that the man and the woman be not conuersant togyther ¶ For Saynte Bernarde saethe that the man and the woman to be famylyer togyther and to kepe them from synne is a greater and a harder thynge then to cause the dead bodyes to ryse agayne to life The fourthe thynge is not to be conuersante wyth Harlottes and persons of vycyous lyuinge The fyfte is not to haunte or to goo to those places where commonly the synne of Lecherye is vsed ¶ For Saynte Syluestre saythe that the synne of Lecherye hathe the maner of the Ape-whych doth all thynges that he seeth done afore hym The syxte is to kepe hym that he doe not haunte to much create festes and bankets for there is moste commonlye muche daunsynge and syngynge manye euyland vayne wordes spoken and manye wanton counte naunces whyche dothe engendre the Vyce of Lecherye by the pleasure and delyght that the person doth take therein I saye that the delyght and pleasure whyche is in good maner and in honestye is much to be praised but the delyghte and pleasure that the persō doth take therein for an euill intente is to be hated and abhorred ¶ Example of the Vertue of Chastytye ¶ The .xxiiii. Chapter IN the lyfe of Holye Fathers it is redde tou chynge the Vertue of Chastytye that there was a certayne Nunne whyche was yong and very fayre of whom a Noble man dwellynge therby was meruaylous sore Enamoured of Aud desyred her manye diuerse tymes that she wolde consent that he might haue hys pleasure of her but thys sayde Nunne wold neuer consente vnto hym And refused hym wyth greate abhomynacyon then thys Noble man seinge that by no maner of fayre meanes be cold obtaine his purpose by reason whereof he was full hf Heauynesse and Mellanchollye dyd purpose in hys mynde to take her by force And therupon he came to the Abbey where this Nunne was And there dyd take her by Force and Vyolence intendynge to leade her home wyth hym vnto hys Place And when this Nūne dyd se that she coulde not obtayne mercye and grace of hym And that there was no remedye nor no help and resistenge to be had she demaunded of hym what was the cause that he had such fauoure and loue vnto her more then to other For there is sayde she manye better and fayrer in thys Abbey then I am And thys Noble man aunswered her sayeng I am so enamoured of you that it semeth me that there is neuer a Woman in thys world that hath so fayre Eyes as ye haue And that is the cause that I haue such Loue vnto you Wherfore purpose youre selfe to come wyth me And then she seinge that there was no remedye but that she shoulde goo wyth hym she desyred hym that it wolde please hym to lette her go in to her Chambre to fetch certayne stuffe that she had there And that she wolde come to hym agayne incontynente thys noble man sayde go youre wayes and tarye not for here I wyl tarye for you And then she wente into her Chambre and wyth a knyfe dyd take bothe her eyes oute of her heade And thys done she came out of her Chambre all bloudye and dyd presente her selfe as well as she could afore this Lorde as she had promysed hym And when thys Lorde dyd see her thus dyffygured and that the eyes were oute of her heade He departed from her as a man out of hys wytte And the sayde Nunne dyd cōtinue stil in the Abbey and was better contente that she had loste her Eyes then to haue had loste her Vergynytye ¶ Howe Lecherye is contrarye to Chastytie And in howe many sortes it is deuyded then is shewed the daungers that come therof as wel to the bodyes of men as to theyr Soules ¶ The .xxv. Chapter LEchery is a Vice contrarye to the Vertue of Chastitye And as it is red in the summe of Vices there be foure maners sortes of the same The Fyrste is fornicasyon and that is when the man and the woman beynge not maryed do medle fleshly togither The Seconde is Adulterye and it is when as wel the one as the other be Maryed The Thyrde is when a man dothe meddle flesshlye wyth anye of hys kynswomen The Fourthe maner is suche that it oughte not to be named for it is so vyle so abhomynable and great a synne ¶ Saynte Gregorye saythe that Lecherye consumeth and destroyeth the bodye and causeth a man to lease hys good name dampneth hys Soule offendeth the person and offendeth God And nowe a daies the world is greatly inclined to the sinne of Lecherye ¶ Senec saythe that he woulde that all Lecherous persons should be stoned to deathe as they were in the olde tyme to the entent that a man myghte beware and keepe hym selfe the better from it And saith y t ableit y t the greatest delight pleasure of this worlde is Lechery Yet neuerthelesse if thou dowel consydre the ende and the begyn nynge of the same synne thou shall fynd nothynge therein but all myschyefe and wretchednesse ¶ Salomon saythe so lytle tyme and space as a man myghte beare fyre in hys Bosome wythout brennynge of hym selfe So lytle space myght not a man be amongest women wythout synne And saythe that ofte tymes Lecherous Persons do commyt Lecherie by theyr syghte ¶ Orace saythe that Rychesse doe bryng Warre Women doe bryng Lecherye ¶ Arystotyle saithe beleue stedfastlye that Lecherye dystroyeth the body shortneth the lyfe corrupteth the Vertues breaketh Gods sawe onsumeth the Rychesse taketh away the strength killeth the soule dystroyeth the syght bryngeth the person to olde age And sometyme doth make hym paralytike ¶ Ouyde saythe that the Lecherous person beinge yonge dothe synne but the olde Lechoure doth dote For an olde Lecherous person when he can not doe the dede yet dothe he take pleasure in dishonest touchynges And sath that in battaile and warre be men stroken wyth speres and swerdes And in peace they
eate drynke and is all contrarye to the Vertue of Abstynence It is redde in the summe of Vyces that there commeth muche euyll to the persones by the Vyce of Glotonie For that same Vice dothe take awaye the Memorye of the person distroyeth the Sences or Wyttes consumeth the Vnderstandynge corrupteth the Bloud Dystroyeth the syghte of the eyes maketh the spyrite feble and doeth stop and let y e tounge dystroyeth the bodye bryngeth Lecherye shorteneth the lyfe of the maÌ„ And doth engendre many great syckenesse whyche doe cause the person sodenlye to dye or doe cause hym to lyue in greate payne and saythe that there is mo folkes whyche dye by reason of excessyfe eatyng and drinkynge and by inordinate lyuynge theÌ„ by other mortalytie And saith that women and wyne doe cause manye good men to erre ¶ Arystotyle sayth that he is a verye beaste whych foloweth the wil and appetyte of hys mouthe And saythe that he whyche dothe fyll hym selfe full of good meates and drynckes that he dothe seeke hys deathe more then hys lyfe And saythe that he whyche wyll lyue cleane and in healthe let hym beware of to muche and excessyue eatynge and drynkyng ¶ Ipocras saythe that haboundaunce of wynes and meates distroyeth the bodye the soule and the Vertues ¶ Saynte Gregorye saythe that when the Vyce of Glotonye hath the domynacyon and power of the person it shal cause him to lease all the goodnesse that euer he dyd And that when the body of the person is not gouerned by abstynence al the Vertues of the same person be drowned ¶ Wherof Saynte Paule maketh mencyon sayenge ¶ Quibus finis interitus quoruÌ„ deus venter est et gloria in confusione eorum terena sapiunt ¶ Howe Abstynence is that wherof Glotonye is consumed And by the goodnesse that is therin And that maye come therof ¶ The xxxiii Chapter ABstynence is a Vertue by the whyche the desyre of Glotonye is refrayned quenshed Salomon saith that he whych lyueth by Abstynence dothe alengthen hys lyfe ¶ Saint Austyn saith that in like case as a man doth straine the rain of the brydle to stop the horse So ought a man to constraine and refraine him selfe from the sinne of Glotonye by the Vertue of Abstynence a man doth get purchase in this worlde the treasoure whiche is aboue all other treasours that is to saye helth of bodye ¶ Sidrac sayth that ther is no ryches in this worde to be compared to the helth of the bodye And by abstinence a man doth purchase helth and increasynge of his lyfe and doeth eschewe glotonye that is to say to abstayne from excessyue eatynge and drynkynge for to fyll him selfe full of meates the stomacke is greued therwyth And it doth nouryshe as is aforesaid manye greuous dyseases and in especyall the gowte And doth cause the breathe of the person to stynke And many other euylles come ther of to the person of the whyche ofte tyme foloweth sodaine deathe ¶ Howe Constancye and InconstauÌ„cye be dyfferent And howe Constaunce is a Noble Vertue And what Inconstauncye is ¶ The .xxxiiii. Chapter COnstauncye is to be Ferme and stable in one purpose without varyenge ¶ Tulle saithe that it is a very great and a good thing for a man to be stable in those thinges whiche he wil say or doe ¶ Isydore saythe that he is not worthye of prayse whiche doth begynne anye worke but he whyche maketh an ende therof Yet notwythstandynge a man oughte not too bee so styffe in those thynges which he hath to do that he do fal into the vyce of Obstynacye Obstinacye is not to chaunge his purpose for anye counsayle or for anye thing that may chauÌ„re therof Inconstauncye is a vyce contrarye to the vertue of Constauncye ¶ Senec saythe that Inconstauncye is not to be ferme and stedfaste And it maye be compared to the Swalowe whyche doth feede and nouryshe hym selfe in flieng here there and so doth Inconstauncye which dothe put all thinges at aduenture ¶ Of the Vertue of Noblenesse of courage of men And how the men be ofte tymes praysed by reason of the same ¶ The .xxxv. Chapter NOblenesse of Courage is to hede and mynde Vallyaunte Noble and Vertuous thyngs And it may be compared to the Griffon which is a beast of such nature that he wold rather let hym selfe dye for hungre then he wolde eate of Caryon and stynkynge flesshe ¶ Saint Austin saith in speaking of the highnes nobelnes of hart that the Lion maketh neuer warre with the Antes nor the Egle with the Flyes ¶ Tuile saith that the Courage of vertuous persones is knowen by theyr great workes And saith that there is nothing so stroÌ„g so sharp as the heart courage of the man ¶ Example of Noblenesse of Courage ¶ The .xxxvi. Chapter OF Noblenesse and highnes of Courage it is red in the Historyes of Rome that there was a Phisicion that serued a Baron the whiche Baron made great war againste the Romaines This Phisicion came on a daye to the Senatours of Rome and to the Counsalie and said vnto them If ye wil geue me a good summe of money I wyl poyson my Mayster which hath done you so much euyl And they aunswered we will not vanquyshe hym by treason but by force and strength And then they dyd shewe the case to the Baron to thintent that he myght beware of the Phisycyon ¶ Of Vain glorye And howe manye maners there is therof And howe Vaynglorye is to be dispraised ¶ The .xxxvii. Chapter VAynglorye is a Vyce contrary to Noblenesse of Hearte And there is three maners of Vain-glory The first is when a man dothe cause hym selfe to bee more estemed praised and honored then it appereth vnto him ¶ But as Saynt Thomas saithe it is no Vyce to haue the wyl to be good or to be well named and famed when he sayth that good naÌ„e and fame is better then greate Richesse The second maner of Vaynglorye is when a man doth vaunt boste and prayse hym selfe for anye maner of thynge for it is a thynge not semelye nor conuenyente for a man to prayse hym selfe The third maner of Vaynglorye is for a man to shewe hym selfe Rycher then he is And to shewe hymselfe more vertuous then he is for it is Ipocryse The vyce of Vaynglorye maye be compared to the Peycocke whiche is so full of Vaynglorye that al his dysyre and delyghte is to shew his fethers in spreadynge hys tayle in maner of a whele for to be praised In the Summe of Vyces it is red that when the person shall haue ouercome al Vyces yet Vayuglorye doth tary wyth hym ¶ Cato saythe if thou wylte please god eschewe Vainglorie ¶ Plato saythe doe not prayse thy selfe but lette another man prayse thee ¶ Saynte Gregorye greatlie doâ—â— blame the Vaynglorye of Ipocrytes And saythe that theyr Vaynglorye is not but a
thou doe not moue thy wyfe so that thou shall cause her to come to more Ire and wrathe ¶ Salamon saythe that there is no heade in the worlde so full of venyme as the heade of a Serpent nor no Ire so greate as the Ire of a Womon ¶ Tulle saythe that that person whyche is a shamed of the companye of hys Father and hys Mother is not worthy to be amongest the Cytezens ¶ Sidrac saith that he was borne in an vnhappy howre whych doth forsake his Father and he is cursed of God whych is stoburne vnto his Mother ¶ Saynte Austyne saythe that a man ought to honoure his Father and Mother in two maners that is to saye to beare them reuerence And to mynister that thynge vnto them wherof they haue nede ¶ For Salamon saithe Honora patrem tuū gemitus matris rue non obliuiscaris And sayth if y ◠haue sonnes chastise them and they shal be comfort vnto thy soule if y ◠haue doughters teche them to kepe their bodies And giue them not tafaire countenaunce mary thy doughter for thou doest a good dede it thou marye her to a wyse man ¶ Senec saythe chastyse thy children and cause them to feare and drede god for it is better for a man to see hys chyldren dye then to see them lvue euyll and to be ingrate ¶ Sainte Bernarde saythe in his cantikes that ingratitude is enemye of the soule and dyminysheth the vertues and is perdycyon of merytes and benefytes The sinne of Ingratitude is lyke the wynde whyche dryeth vp the water of the Fountaines of pytie the dewe and water of grace and goodnesse of mercye as the wyse manne saythe Ingrati enim spes tanquem hibernalis glacies tabescet dispariet tamqui aqua super flua ¶ Of the Loue of Compaginons and Fryendes and how to entertaine it ¶ The .xi. Chapter THe Thyrd Loue whiche is called amytie of Compaignons it is to wyll one thynge togyther laufullye and honestlye And thys loue dyscendeth by three occasyons whych moueth the persone to the same The fyrste is for some goodnesse that the person hath or trusteth to haue of him that he loueth The Second is for the good wyll and mynde that the person hath vnto hys fryend in desyryng wysshyng him good The Thyrde is that he woulde be allwayes as one wyth hys fryende partaker wyth hym in al thynges for loue that he oweth vnto him And these three maners of loue be verye good and vertuous ¶ Saynte Thomas saythe that thou maye keepe thy fryende three maner of waye The fyrst is to loue hym wyth all thy hearte and that he may knowe it The second is to do all thynge to thy power whych thou knowest doth please him And the thyrde is to beware that thou do no thynge that shall displease hym And saythe also that by other three meanes thou maye kepe him thy friende that is to saye to laude and prayse hym in his absence and to helpe him at hys nede ¶ Salamon saythe that there is nothyng to be compared to a faith full friende ¶ Ouid saythe that when thou shalbe in prosperyty thou shal find and haue many fryendes And in thine aduersytie thou shalt be lefte all alone without anye fryendes ¶ Arystotyle saythe that the more dygnytie and honoure or rychesse that a man hath the more nede he hathe of fryendes for one good thynge can not be alone and with out another ¶ And Salomon saythe there be three thynges that be verye pleasant acceptable bothe to god and man that is to say concorde amitie of bretherē loue of neighbours and the loue of the man and his wyfe when they loue the on the other saith that it is a soueraigne goodnesse gyfte of God to haue a good wife he that chaūseth to find a good wife he findeth great good welth And he that forsaketh and chaseth from hym a good wyfe he chaseth from him his welth profyte And saith also y t a good wyfe doth honoure the howse riches an euil wife is distruction of al together the dishonour of her husbād ¶ Salamon wyllyng to blame the women saythe manye thynges of them of the whych at this time I will not speake for there is manye good reasons wherfore a man ought to honoure the women and accordynge to hys sayenge a man shall not fynde one good woman amongest a Thousande But I beleue that he speaketh thys as a man angrye and moued for one woman whyche dyd deceyue hym For it is redde in the olde Testamente that the same Woman dyd so muche to Salamon that for the great loue that he had vnto her she caused hym to forsake God and to worshyppe Idolles And she dyd leade hym so muche after her wyll that she caused hym to be clothed and to weare Womans apparell she caused hym to spynne and dyd ordre and leade hym after her owne wyl as if he had ben a chyld And these thynges whyth the woman dyd vnto hym he speaketh euyl of al other sayenge y t amongest a thousande women a man shall not fynde one good And that the iniquitie of the man is better then the goodnes of the woman but as I haue sayd afore he speaketh ther of as it dothe please hym for it we wyll consydre and beholde the euil dedes of the men we shall fynde them muche greater then those of Women ¶ Howe the Loue of Concupyscece commeth to Men and Women And of the daunger that doe chaunce and come of the same ¶ The .xii. Chapter OF the Fourthe Loue whiche is commonlye called to be enamoured is the loue of Concupisence whyche is when the man loueth the woman for the pleasure that he trusteth to haue of her As those do cōmenly which say I am enamored of such a woman The delectacion of this loue is all in the corporall and bodelye delectacyon ¶ Saynte Thomas the Apostle sayth that a man wold neuer loue anye thynge if he had not truste to haue some pleasure and goodnesse of the same How be it a man some tymes supposeth that thynge to be full of great goodnes of the which commeth euyl Yet it semeth to him that loueth such a thing that ther can none euyll come therof And as it is so that euery loue commeth by some delectacion corporall or intellectuall The loue corporall cōmeth descendeth by the tyue corporall senses or wyttes as is aforesayde The intellectuall loue cōmeth by y e imaginacion of the vnderstanding And the delecracion intelectuall is much greater then the corporall so that all the delyte of the loue of Concupisence is in delectacion intellectuall And therfore the loue of Concupisence may not nor oughte not to be called loue ¶ Plato maketh mencyon therof sayeng loue of Concupisence is not vertue of loue but rather vyce of lechery when the man leueth
hys Dyscyple Alexaundre what Angre Rancoure or Malyce soeuer that thou haste in thy heate thou ought alwayes to showe mery and Ioyefull countenaunce and there afore all folkes ¶ Howe Heuynesse is coutrarye to Gladnesse And howe the Wyse Man oughte neuer to put any in his hearte wherof Heuynes and Mellancolly may be engendred ¶ The .xvii. Chapter HEuynesse or Pensyfenesse is contrarye to Gladnesse after the sayenge of Macrobyus wherof there is thre maners and sortes The fyrst is when the person gyueth hymselfe more thought and sorowe for anye thing then he ought to do and this may be called pensyfenes The seconde is when the person nother dothe nor saith nor thinketh any thinge whych is ferme and stedfast but is lyke a dead bodye And therby falleth in Idlenes whych is a greate vyce The thyrd is for certaine imagynacyous when the person moueth hym selfe with greate and excessyfe angre wrathe Ire which is called Mellanchollie wherof cōmeth dispeayre which is the greatest vyce that can be as the Phylosopher dothe saye In pensyfenes or heuines be engendred many vices And amongest all other is engendred slothe and Idlenesse for when the person is pensise and still of Idlenesse it semeth that he careth for nothynge ¶ Salomon saith that in like case as golde is assayed and proued in the fournasse so the man is astayed and proued in aduersytits that come vnto hym ¶ Plato saith that the man which hath his health oughthe neuer to be pensyfe and heauie in his heart for anye maner of aduersytie that may chaunce vnto hym but ought alwayes to be of good comfort and arme him selfe with pacyence ¶ Socrates saythe that he which is not angrie nor vexed for any aduerfytye that maye chaunce vnto hym he gyueth hym selfe muche reste and doth illuminate his seences or wyttes And saythe that he is pensyfe sorowfull whiche hath nothynge but more pensife and sorowefull is he whyche was wonte to haue and hathe nothinge And that he is happy tha is not wonte to haue prosperytye for he hath no pensyfenesse in hym ¶ Howe Mellancholly is daungerous And what is Mellanchollye And howe is causeth manye to fall in greate trauayle paynes and miseryes and conseqently in greate peuertie ¶ The .xviii. Chapter MEllanchollye is a thynge greatlye to be hated of that person which is entangled and wrapped therin for of Mellanchollye commeth pouertye afflyctyon and desperacyon wherof speaketh Saynte Bernarde sayenge I had leuer dye then to suffre my selfe to fall in Mellanchollye ¶ Senec saythe Mellanchollye is death and the Sepulchre or graue of the lyfe of man And saythe for anye thynge that maye happen or chaunce vnto thee be not Mellanchollye nor pensyfe And if thou can not keepe thee from it yet doe not shewe in dede nor in worde for it belongeth not to a vertuous man to showe it him selfe Melancholly for no maner of aduersytie that maye happen vnto hym for he that is Mellanchollye and pensyfe for his aduersities he dowbleth them but a man oughte to consydre that after aduersytie commeth consolacyon and prosperytie And he that dothe the contrary is Mellanchollye and then Idlenes dothe entre into hym And so by the euyll thoughtes that he hathe beinge Idle he falleth so farre in Sloth that he careth for nothynge nor nothynge wold do but stepe And thou ought to knowe that the person beynge Idle may fall verye soone into many vyces that is to say to dystroye hys bodye and dampue hys soule by euil cogytacions and thoughtes that may come therof Senec saythe that Idlenes is confusyon of the vnderstandynge and wytte of the person the gate of pensyuenesse and mother of pouertye ¶ Salamon saythe do not loue to sleepe to muche for feare that pouertie do not reygne ouer thee ¶ Arystotyle saythe that slepe bringeth much inconuenyence ¶ And Hermes sayth blessed is he that vseth good occupacyons in al hys tyme And sayth that the Idle and slouthfull person putteth al his busines at aduenture saithe that Fortune and aduenture helpeth that man whyche wyll helpe hym selfe And the Idle and slouth full persone is contrarye to hym selfe ¶ Socrates saythe that there be Syxe maner of folkes whyche allwayes is in Pensyfenes and Mellanchollye The Fyrste maner is of hym that can not forget iniuryes done or sayde vnto hym The Seconde is of the Enuyous persons whyche dwelleth and is conuersante wyth folkes newly come to Ryches The Thyrde is of hym which hath ben in the place where other haue gotten muche profyte and cold not profite ther hym selfe The Fourth maner is of him whithe somtyme was Ryche and now is Poore The Fyfthe is of hym whyche desyreth and enforseth hym selfe to come to hygher estate and honour then is mete and conuenyente for hym The Syxte is of hym whych hathe dwelled longe tyme wyth a wyse man hath nothynge lerned ¶ Homer saythe that by greate dylygence a man commeth to perfeccyon And that dylygence is mother of Rychesse and health of bodye and saluacyon of soule And Mellancholly and Idlenes is contrarye ¶ Salomon makethe mencyon therof in the Byble sayenge Robusti semper in abundatia omnis autem piger in egestate erit ¶ Example of Heauynesse or Pensyuenesse ¶ The .xix. Chapter OF Heauynesse or Pensytenesse it is redde in the Booke of Kynge Alexandre that whē the sayde Kynge Alexandre was deade hys Barons dyd beare hym in a Chase of golde to the Sepuiture or buryeng And there was manye Philosophers whych went after the bodye wepynge and hauynge greate Heauynesse And amongest all other there was one that weoed verye fore sayenge O good Lorde those that neuer dyd see our Kyng Alexandre did doubt and feare him And now those that doe see hym dothe nothing regard him And another cried with great Heauynesse O cruell death whych doubteth nothyng nor spareth nothyng and which hath taken from vs that man whych gouerned and ruled all the worlde and the other Phylosophers dyd crye O iustyce set aparte O faythfulnesse loste O courtosye chased awaye O gladnesse and ioye exyled O valilantenesse fledde awaye O gentlenesse destroyed And in thys maner they dyd beare hym to the Sepulture or buryenge wyth greate sorowe Heauynesse or Pensyfenesse and Mellancholye ¶ Howe the Vertue of Peace oughte to be mayntayned and keepte And of the greate goodnesse that commeth of the same And what peace is ¶ The .xx. Chapter PEace as saythe Saynt Bernarde is purenesse of vnderstanding symplenes of hearte quietnes and reste of courage Peace of loue And company or felowshyp of charytie ¶ Senec saythe that Peace is aboue all the goodnesse and richesse of thys worlde And saythe that he that hath not Peace with him ought to bye it The prophete Esaie saith that the euyll man doth not eare for Peace ¶ Plato saythe haue Peace 〈◊〉 the Vertues and warre agaynste the
fantastyke vysyon whyche sheweth outward lye that thyng whych is not within ¶ Iesu Christ saith in his gospell speaking of Ipocrytes ¶ Ve vobis hipocrite qui similes estis sepulchris de albatis qui foris apparent hominibus speciosa intus vero fuit sunt plena ossibus mortuorum ¶ Example of Vainglorye ¶ The .xxxviii. Chapter OF Vainglorye it is red in the lyfe of Holy Fathers that an Aungell on a certayne tyme kepte company with an Heremite And as they wente togyther they passed by a place where there was a deade Horse whyche dyd stynke verye sore wherfore the Heremyte dyd stoppe hys nose but the Aungell dyd not so nor dyd not regard it And as they went a litle further they passed by a fayre gardaine in the which ther was afayre womā And rychelye appareled very full of vayneglorye And incontinent that the Aungell did se her he dyd stop his nose the Heremyte seynge this dyd maruayle very much ther of And sayd to the Aungell I do meruayle greatly that ye haue stopped your nose for this fayre womā And dyd passe by the stynkyng caryon that we dyd fynde as ye dyd not care for it nor dyd not fele no smell which did stynke so euyll thē the. Aungell sayd I will that thou knowe that the person full of vayn glorye stynketh more in the syght of God of Aungels and of the heuenly company then all the cary on in the worlde And as soone as he had sayd this he was sodeynly banyshed and departed out of the syght of the Here myte And then Iudged he that should be an Aungell And therfore he knew wel that Vainglory greatly dyspleased God ¶ Howe Iustyce ought to be done And howe it is that thynge that dothe measure all thynges vpon Earthe ¶ The .xxxix. Chapter IUstyce is a Ferme and a Stable wyll to doe ryght vnto euerye man ¶ Salomon saythe desyre not to be wyse if thou cannot fynde in thy hearte to doe Iustyce And sayth that there is three thynges necessarye to a man whiche wyll doe Iustyce The fyrste is that he haue auctorytye to doe it The seconde is that he knowe wel what he oughte to Iudge The thyrde is that he Iudge according to reason ¶ Hermes saythe beware that thou doe punyshe no man by Iustyce afore that thou gyue hym terme to make hys defence And beware that when thou oughte to doe Iustyce that thou doe not to muche deferre and prolong it wherby there may come any occasion to let the aforesaid Iustyce ¶ Tulle saythe that Iustyce is the Mother and Lady of al other vertues For there myght nothing liue and dute in thys worlde if Iustyce were not ¶ Arystotyle sayth that Iustice is a measure that god hath stablished in earthe for to lymyte all thynges And saythe that Iustyce is none other thyng but to gyue euery man his owne Thou oughte to gyue to three maner of folkes that which is their owne that is to say to thy souerayne and superyour to thy felowe and to thy subiecte To thy soueraygne and superyoure thou oughte to giue reuerence of hearte and obedyence of bodye to thy felowe thou ought to giue counsayle in teachynge hym of hys Ignoraunce and to ayde and helpe hym to thy power To thy subiect thou oughte to defende hym and to instructe and punyshe hym if he doe euyll ¶ Salomon maketh mencion therof sayenge ¶ Excogiatat iustus de domo impii vt detrahat impios a malo Gaudium est iusto facere iusticiam ¶ Example of Iustyce ¶ The .xl. Chapter OF Iustice it is red in the life of Holye fathers that there was an Hermyte whyche long time had serued God and had done greate penaunce for hys synnes to whom god sent afterwarde great sickenesse And bycause that he could not recouer hys healthe a gayn he began to complaine of god and to murmure in hym selfe So it chaunced on a day that the Aungell of god appered vnto hym in lykenesse of a yonge man and sayd vnto hym come wyth me for God will that I doe showe thee of hys secrete Iustyce And dyd leade him into the Towne to a Marchauntes house whyche had in a Coffre a greate numbre of Florences And the Aungell in the syghte of the Hermyte did take the same Florence and did beare them into the house of another man whych they founde in sleepe And the Aungell dyd leue the sayde Florence at hys Chambre dore to the intente that when he should open the dore that he shoulde fynde them And thys doone he ledde hym to the house of another Marchaunte that had a chylde the whyche chylde the Aungell dyd kyll in the presence of the sayde Heremite And the Heremyte seinge all these thynges thoughte that the Aungell had ben a Deuyll And wolde fayne haue departed from hym The Aungell seinge that he woulde departe from hym sayde voto hym tarye yet a litle for I wyll showe thee the reason wherfore I haue doone these thinges in thy presence knowe first wherfore that I haue take the Florence from the burges it is because that he had solde his Herytage for the sayde Florences and was purposed to gyue them to certaine Murtherers whyche had promysed hym to kyll a man for hys sake the whyche had dyspleased hym aforetymes And the man which he wolde haue caused to be kylled is a man of noble byrth wherof shuld haue come greate inconuenyence And therfore to resyst the euyl that might haue cōe therof also to let hym of hys euyll and myscheuous wyll and purpose I haue taken the sayde Florence from hym And when he shal see hym selfe pore to haue loste hys Herytage and gooddes he wyll gyue hym selfe to the seruice of god and where he shulde haue ben dampned nowe he shalbe saued The Reason wherfore I haue borne the Florence to the Chambre doore of the other man is because that he was a Ryche Marchaunte whyche came from beyonde the Sea and had bestowed in marchaundyce all the gooddes that he had and putte it in a Shyppe the whyche Shyppe did peryshe vpon the Sea then he did remembre one daye howe that he had loste all hys gooddes and had nothynge to lyue vppon began to fall in dyspayre and was purposed to hange hym selfe And therfore to the intente that he shoulde not destroye bothe the bodye and the soule I dyd beare hym the foresaid Florences The Reason whereof I haue kylled the Chylde is because that afore that the father had him he was a very good man and gaue much Almous and did many good dedes for the loue of god and sence that he had the Chylde he cared for none other thynge but onelye to get Rychesse were it by ryghte or wronge And therfore I haue kylled the Chylde to the intente that the Father maye retourne to hys purpose doe not meruayle nor grudge therfore for the syckenesse that thou haste for
to his glorye to the whiche the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost bring vs all Amen FINIS ¶ Here endeth the Booke of Wysdome after the sayenges of auncient Phylosophers and other noble wise mē Lately translated out of French into Englishe And here so 〈…〉 eth the Table Here begynneth the Table of thys Booke FIrste the Auctoures names Follio 2 The Prologue fol 3 ¶ The auctoure shew how a man or a womā oughte to be adorned with vertues And how that Prudēce ought chiefly and fyrst of all rule and gouerne the creatures The fyrst Chapter Follyo 5 Howe prudence is cheefe buckler defence of all vertues of the greate goodnes that may come of the same to al persons after the auncient Phylosophers The second chapter fol 6. Example of the vertue of prudence The thyrd chapter fol 11. How Folie is contrary to prudence And how Folie is deuided into manye partes of the man Also the maner to knowe the folie by the dedes and the wyse man by hys workes The .iiii chapter fol. 13. Howe Temperance is one of the Flowers of Prudence And howe he that hathe it in hym maye resyste and withstand many euylles after the say enges of the wise men in the chapter going before The v. chapter fol 16. Howe Dystemperaunce is contrarye to Temperaunce And howe it is the pryncypall cause of all euyll The vi chapter fol 18. Example of Dystemperaunce The vii chapter fol 19. How the Auctour speaketh of Loue of Beneuolence and of delyberacion how of loue he maketh iiii chapters The .viii. chapter fol. 19. Howe the loue of God is the loue aboue al loues that dureth the longest And that without the whiche the creatures can not be satysfyed nor contented The .ix chapter fol. 21. Howe the loue of father and mother with other parentes commeth what reuerence and honoure we oughte to giue to oure father mother And the maner to loue hys wyfe and children to correct leade them in this world The r chapter fol 23. Of the loue of compaignons friendes and how to entertaine it The xi chapter fol 26. How the loue of concupicence commeth to men and women and of the great daunger that do chaunce come of the same The .xii chapter fol 29. Example of the vertue of Loue. The xiii chapter fol 30. How Enuy is contrary to the vertu of Loue and what enuy is and also of the paine that the enuyous man beareth in hym self The xiiii chap fol 32 Exāple of enuy The xv chap fol 33 How a man ought to take gladnes Ioy and of what thing and what gladnes or Ioy is The xvi chap fol 34. Howe heauines is contrary to gladnes how the wise man ought neuer to put any in his hearte wherof heauines and mellancholly may be engendred The xvii chap. fol 35 How mellancholly is daungerous and what is mellancholly and how it causeth many to fall in great trauaile paines miseries consequentlye in great pouertie The xvii chap fol 36. Exāple of heauines or pensiuenes The xix chap fol 39 How the vertue of peace ought to be mayntayned kepte and of the great goodnes that cōmeth of the same and what peace is The xx chapt fol 40 How Ire is contrarye to peace and what Ire is how it doth destroy and waste the vertues and bodies of them that be entangled with the same and of the euyll that dothe come of it The xxi chapter fol 41 Exāple of Ire The xxii cha fol 43 Of chastytye how she ought to be withholden obserued kept the perils that the wise shuld flie for feare to lease such vertu The xxiii chap fol 45 Example of the vertue of Chastytie The xxiiii chap fol 46 How lechery is contrary to chastity in how many sortes it is deuided thē is shewed the daūgers that come therof as well to the bodyes of men as to theyr soules The xxv chap fol 48 Of force or strength what it is the maners and comparisons of the same and who may be called stronge and of those also whych be alwayes stronge The xxvi chap fol 50 How pacience causeth a mā to beare easelye the paines trauailes of thys world and how many sortes therbe of pacyence The xxvii chap. fol 52. How feare and dread be contrarye to strēgth valliantnes what feare is who those be that be feareful for what cause The xxviii chap fol 53. Of suerty how many maners ther is therof how feare and suertye doe striue togither by dyuers languages The xxir chap fol 57. How the wise man ought to doubt how by doubte feare many times the mē becōe vertuous The xxx cha fo 60 How good Fame oughte to go afore men of the goodnes that commeth of the same The xxxi chapt fol 63. How glotony is a daungerous vyce of the great euill that cōmeth therof to the bodies of mē how the vertues of men be distroyed and corrupte by the same The xxxii chap fol 64. How abstinence is that wherof glotony is consumed and by the goodues that is therin and that may come ther of The xxxiii chap fol 65 How Constancie Inconstancie be dyfferent how constancie is a noble vertue and what Inconstauncye is The xxxiiii chap fol 66 Of the vertue of noblenes of courage of men and howe the men be ofte tymes praysed by reason of the same The xxxv chap fol 67 Example of Noblenes of Courage The xxxvi chap fol 68 Of vainglory how many maners there is therof howe vainglory is to be dispraised The xxxvii chap fo 68 Example of Vayne glorye fol. 69. How Iustice ought to be done how it is y t thing that doth measure al thinges vpon earth The xxxix chap fo 70 Exāple of Iustice The xl chap fo 72 How Iniustice or wrong is contrarye to Iustice and how many maners therbe of Iniustyce howe Iniustyce demaundeth vengeaunce afore god The xli chap fol 74 Example of Iniustyce The xlii chap fol 76 Of Loyaltye and by Loyaltye the person is greatlye praysed The xliii chap fol 77 Of falsehed what it is of the difference that is betweene suspycion and Ielousye and treason and malyce The xliii chap. fol 78. Exāple of falshehed The xlv cha fo 80 How trueth is to be cōpared by reason to the perdryche how truethe is that thing which iustyfieth the man afore al persons The xlvi chap fo 81 Example of the vertue of Verytye The xlvii chap fol 82 How lyeng is an euyl vice the maners to eschewe it and in what sorte and whyche is euyll Lyenge The xlviii chap fol 83 What mercye is of the operacyon of the same how mercy is that wher by a man obteyneth the loue of God The xlix chap fol 84 Example of mercy The l cha fo 86. Of Crualtie howe many sortes be therof and of the greate