THE CLOSET of Counsells, conteining The aduice of diuers wyse Philosophers, touchinge sundry morall matters, in Poesies, Pre ceptes, Prouerbes, and Parrables, translated, and collected out of diuers aucthors, into Eng­lishe Uerse: by Edmond Eluiden Gent.

Wherunto is anexed a pithy and pleasant discription of the abuses: and vanities of the vvorlde. 1569.

Imprynted at London in Fleetstreat, at the signe of Saint Iohn Euange­liste, by Thomas Colvvell▪

To his Neuew william Busher, Edmond Eluiden wisheth wealth, health, peace, and prosperitie.

BEing diuersly mo­ued and motioned to further my dilygence and trauell as some acquittall for your cur­tesyes, and yet dispayring of my power (gentle Neuewe) I haue finyshed this indeuour, whych hath seemed to me a meete gift & requisite rewarde, though not in sufficient ability: yet considering your disposition, able inough to satisfie your expectation. And for because I pon dered the obliuion of mortall memory and vngratefulnesse of nature in suche thinges as notwithstandinge be to hys proper commoditie, I haue renewed herein, and haue sette before your eyes such necessary precepts of liuing & rules of wise experience as you haue read and perused before time: to the ende that by more perusing you may print the same in youre heart, that it also may beare [Page] fruits in your life, and waying wel you may perceaue that no knowledge is so requisite or needefull as morall philoso­phy, which not onely disseuereth the na­ture of man from beastly brutish kynd, & bewtifies & adornes the sense and ratefies the life: but also teacheth & instruc­teth to auoyd inconuenience & mischefe, & leadeth the soule to the fauour of God. Wherfore finding this most meete for you and easyest for me to attayne, I haue ben bolde to offer you this same, as a token of my well wishing: Supposing me not needfull for to craue your pacience, be­cause I am assured of your gen­tlenes.

Your freend and kinsman Edmond Eluiden.

To the Reader.

HOwe requisite & necessary instruc­tions bee, both in diuine thinges & matters moral, I referre it to thy iudgement (gen­tle reader) the which wāt or rather y e necligēce vsed of all estates in the slacke imitatinge of the aboun­daunce of good lessons & counsels both priuately and openly publyshed in this our countrey, hath caused me to vse this my simple payn and indeuor to set befor thy sight most [Page] needefull lessons, iustruc­tions, and counsels, of the wise philosophers, which be no lesse profitable then necessary to such as wold willingly learne, and by learnynge prosecure the honeste actes and decent indeuors which pertaine to verteous liuing: & be cause I know that there hath bene in more ample and larger wyse by more learned men instructions and lessons here to fore set forth, I craue thy curtesy to respect of my wel mea­ninge rather then of my [Page] ability, the which I finde vnapt in all things to the which my good wil extē ­deth, & notwithstanding though by right I muste acknowledge my worke barbarous, rude & vnpol­lished, yet I dare presume to say that it is necessary: not for the want or lacke of good instructions the which I know to be plē ­teously dispersed, but for the obliuious weakenes of mortal nature & memo ry, the whiche is so feeble that it can not haue too much renewance of hys [Page] dutyes, but rather requy­reth to be cōtinually put in remēbrāce of the same, & this is the cause which hathe imboldeued me to trāslate these worthy say ings of y e wise into verse, wherby thou mightest be the soner moued to peruse them, as also the more ef­fectually & redely to print thē in thy thought, wher­in I craue thy gentle pa­cience, and if oughte be a­misse it shalbe reformed.

Farewell.
E. E.

¶ The Closet of counsells.

¶ Of forecaste.
AL inconuenience that maye grow,
Ponta­nus.
or harmes that maye insue:
Ofdyuers happs, the good forecaste of wysdome maye eschue.
¶ Of Labour.
No man is strong, but hee whose force, can labore well subdue:
And hee is weake whose harte is faynt
Marcus aureli.
his trauell to pursue:
And in suche labore reste appeares, moste plesaunte for to bee:
For reste is medsyne to the soares, whiche labors haue we see.
¶ Of Reste.
Eche thynge by nature hath a tyme
Ouid.
for to receaue his reste,
And nature eche thynge voyde therof doth seeme for to deteste?
¶ Of Townes or Realmes.
It is the welthe of euerye Towne, of Prouince, Realme, or place:
Zeno­phon.
That vertue rather more abounde then people, in suche case.
¶ Of the Common welthe:
The common welthe shulde rather bee preferred vnto fame,
Then the materiall cyttye buylte for to enlarge hys name
Alex se ue [...]us.
For eche mans lyfe more precious is and vertue of more pryce
Then eyther stone or timber woorke or anye such deuyce
¶ Of The honor of a reamle.
The perfect honor of a realme or beautye of a towne.
Iesussy rach.
Consysts not in the buyldynge but, by vertue reapes renowne.
¶ Of Prayse and disprasye.
The wicked prayse can not aduaunse nor infamye defame
The good, for nether doth desarue
Cicero.
the hauynge of the same.
¶ Of Suffisanse.
Unto the ryche more rycher is suffysanse then more welthe
Or substanse for it doth pretende,
Plato.
aboundanse of hys helthe,
As fickell fortune maye giue cause to the to [...]ke thy foo.
[Page 2]So maye thy enemye reioyce whilste thou arte wrapt in woo.
¶ Of offenses.
When lyttell faults escape vnspyde preuented not in tyme:
Aristot:
Of them doth spryng huge hurte at last and cause of greater cryme.
¶ Of Beloued thinges.
With daynger muche and peryll great that thinge is kepte with payne,
Seneca.
Which manye men desyer to haue or craue for to retayne.
¶ Of a custome.
It is as dyfficulte a thynge a custome or a vse,
To breke, as nature for to chaynge
Aristot:
or alter by abuse.
¶ Of Corrupt rulers.
A poyson and corruption it is to subiects moste,
Iesussy rach.
To haue a ruler which corrupt corruptlye rules the roste.
¶ Of Honore.
The man greate honore doth dezarue whome fortune dothe abate.
[Page]Without desarte suppressinge downe his floryshynge estate,
And hee of shame demaundes a parte
Marcus aureli.
whom fate hath sett a lofte,
Without iuste cause, yclad in sylke or set on pyllowe softe.
¶ Of Practyse.
Those things which vse hath ouercome or practyse, pleasaunt seeme,
To suche as vse the same although
Plat [...].
them paynefull other deeme.
¶ Of Frendshippe.
Of all things, earthlie globe containes the newest is the beste
Except of frendes, the whiche accept
Seneca.
the neweste for the leaste.
Of Disdayne.
As the deuourynge fyre consumes the fyerbrande wyth rage
Disdaine doth frēdshipp waste, & loue,
Hermes.
by fumynge dothe asswage.
¶ Of Measure.
That man most valyant is whose state doth not prouoke his harte
To ioye, or sorowe ouer muche,
Seneca.
but vse an equall parte.
[Page 3]The runner runnynge ouermuche
Plato.
shall werynes attayne
And by his swiftnes purchase harme, whyle hee dothe gape for gayne.
¶ Of an ould Lecherer.
A Lecherous louer beynge ould
Marcus aure [...]
is lyke a youthfull swyne,
Which hath a whyte head, & hys tayle of greene, exceedinge fyne.
¶ Of Benefytes.
The man that fyndeth benefyts
Plato.
in fetters lyethe bounde
Tyll hee repaye his dettes, and than hee ryseth from the grounde:
Yet is it custome to receaue wyth myrth, as dothe appeare
Marcus aure.
But to forg [...] wyth euyll wyll, and wyth repentaunt cheare.
¶ Of Pryde.
As lyberalytye causeth frendes and hatred dothe remoue,
So pryde alureth manye foes,
Socrate▪
But cleane exyleth loue.
¶ Of Wrath.
Of feeblenes of courage and of scarsytie of wytt,
[Page]Doth wrath proceede an vglye vyce
Hermes.
a fylthie and vnfytt.
¶ Of luste.
He manye myschyfes doth obaye that doth obaye his luste,
Hermes
For none more wauryng bee then such or Daungerous to truste.
¶ Of Repentaunse.
Repentaunse pardon craues as dewe to him and his by ryghte,
And pardon is a pacient thinge
Plato.
For gyuing all dispyte.
¶ Of Gentlenes.
The swete effect of gentlenes doth purchase meere goodwill
Alex se uerus.
And feruent loue his quallytyes such proffittes do dystyll.
¶ Of corage.
It is a sygne of corage greate and of a myghtye blood,
Ouid.
Lyttyll to care for myghtye thinges regarding well the good.
¶ Of the lawe.
Nature the fruictfull fountayne is from whense good lawe doth spring.
[Page 4]And that is naturall for man
Cicero.
to flye eche fruictles thinge.
¶ Of worldlyenes.
As by continuall labore strength of bodye dothe decaye,
Wherby the bodye perisheth and nature weares awaye
Ouid.
Euen so the mynde of man oppreste with pensyfe worldlye cares,
Doth leese his loue and luste to god which heauenlye welthe appares.
¶ Of solitarines.
A sollitarye man doth seeme a god or els a beaste,
Claudia
As one that knoweth much or els as one that knoweth leaste.
¶ Of patience.
A pacient man or sober man shall nere repent in harte,
Marcus aure.
Nor do the deedes, which by his haste shall turne vnto his smarte.
¶ Of weomen.
Ther are in weomans eyes two tears the one of grete dysecite,
Pitthago ras.
The other of greife, and bothe do laye a wylye subtill beyte.
¶ Of the Tonge.
A fooles tonge is his counsells keye for nothynge it can hyde,
But wysdome keepes the wyse manes
Socrates
tonge not suffryng it to slyde.
¶ Of Measure.
In all thinges measure is moste meete excesse doth hurte to muche.
Claudia
Or els at least doth profytt nought his qualytyes are suche.
¶ Of Bryberye.
Both fayth & treuth & frendshipp fayles and manners bee defylde,
Zenoph:
Where brybrye vsed is, and there all iustyce is exylde.
¶ Of a Flatterer.
As a Kamelion colloures hathe of euerye sorte, saue whyte:
Euen so a Sycophant hath skyll
Hermes
of euerye poynte saue ryght.
¶ Of Sudayne chaunces.
Though sodaine haps or chaunces falne prouoke newe thoughtes in haste
Hermes
Yet by suche chaunce proceds a cause in tyme of lesser waste.
¶ Of The contēted state? &c.
[Page 5]Some men are ryche whych nothynge
Salla­mon [...]
haue And some again are pore
Which haue great riches thus the least haue moste, and moste, least store
¶ Of Manye woordes.
Where pensyfe care or trouble is there manye dreames remayne:
Iesussy rach.
So wher as words abound, thou maist descerne a foolyshe brayne.
¶ Of Youthe.
More needfull manners bee to youthe, then skill in musykes arte
Aristotel
Which beatifie ther face through there behauyours of the harte.
¶ Of Ly [...]e.
To liue longe take no thought, but care howe that thou mayest lyue well:
Aristot:
Buy not the lyfe of deathe, but lyue as thou thy lyfe shouldst sell.
¶ Of Truthe.
The man that vseth faythfulnes and truthe in euerye thynge
Socrates.
Hath greater seruauntes then a prince or subiectes then a Kynge.
Of The pryuye enemye.
[Page]An open aduersarye is more better then the foo,
That frendly semes who pincheth har [...]
B [...]etius.
and sayth it is not so.
¶ Of wysdome.
A wyse mans harte, in his ryght syde is lappt, the fooles the lestte,
Sall [...]s [...] ▪
T [...]e one of reason is indewed the other cleane berefte.
¶ Of sorowe.
As syknes is the pryson of the bodye so is greyfe,
And sorowe pryson to the soule
Hermes:
through voydnes of relyefe.
¶ Of vnderstandynge.
When as in doubtfull things a man doth doubte and certayne is:
Of certayne thinges his sense seemes
A [...]istip.
not to vnderstand amys.
¶ Shamfastenes.
From youthe it doth become eche man grete shamefastnes to haue,
In fylthye thynges, but bould to bee
Hermes.
in eche thinge ryght dothe craue.
¶ Of Ignoranse.
[Page 6]The ignorante which errs in that the whiche he doth not knowe,
Plato.
Demaunds that pardon wold be quick but rashnes to be slowe.
¶ Of a foole
Lyke as the rayne or sappye dewe cannot inriche the seede,
Which planted is vppon the stones wherof it standes in neede
Plato.
No more maie teaching ought preuaile or studye to the foole.
Or anye ingine that informes the scyll of wysdomes scoole.
¶ Of frendes.
As fyre can not be seperate from heate, nor heate from fyre:
Seneca.
So are the hartes of faythfull frends whiche lyue in one desyre.
¶ Of Wrath.
A stone is heauye and the sande is wayghtye by hys kynde,
Sal [...]
But yet a fooles wrathe by his wayght doth burden more the mynde,
¶ Of wrathe.
Humylytye patiense and fayre speche Do mollyfye the rage,
[Page]Of anger wrathe or heauynes
Hermes.
And sorowes do asswage.
¶ Of Euill mens praise.
The payntyng prayse of wycked men dothe rather yelde defame
Hermes:
To him, that praysed is, then good aduaunsynges of his name.
¶ Of Gentlenes.
It is a poynte of gentlenes the gentle to suppose
Hermes:
Rather the beste of euerye thynge, then woorste, for to disclose.
¶ Of Mans course.
AS after nyght, the chearefull lyght of mornynge dothe appeare,
And then the rayes of Tytan cause the skyes for to bee cleare
And after Tytan dooth approche by course a fylthye cloude,
And then fayre wether which departes
Marcus aureli.
and cuttes the pytchye shrowde,
And after that huge Thunder clapps, with lyghtnynges cource the ayere
And after this proceedes agayne the wether cleare and fayre,
[Page 7]So after infancye by kynde doth chyldhode hye hym faste,
Then manlie youth, then crooked age, then ouglye death, at laste:
And after death another lyfe, renewes him selfe from payne
Thus state doth stand, & state doth fall, and state doth ryse agayne.
¶ Of Women and childre.
A womans counsell hath but weake a chyldes vnperfecte shyftes,
Seneca.
The one for slendernes of wytt the other, natures gyftes.
¶ Of Lechery [...].
The yonge man lyuyng lecherouslye when as his youth is paste
Anaxa­goras.
And age salutes him, moste doth crouch to foule deformed waste.
¶ Of a good Captayne.
Alustye captayne which should lead an armye, ought retayne
These fower thynges or els hys forte is frustrate and in vayne:
Cicero.
Fyrst perfecte knowledge of the warrs then valyantnes of harte:
[Page]Then with aucthorytye good lucke to ratyfye his parte:
¶ Of seeking and fynding.
A better thing it is to seeke
Demosibe nes.
and seekyng not to fynde,
Then for to gett the thing wherof no proffitt is resynde.
¶ Of experiense.
Experiense is a chastismente which knoweth to esche we
The daunger of an ould mishape,
Iesussy rach.
or perryll of an newe.
¶ Of a wicked man.
When as a wicked man is dead and lapped in the ground,
Marcus: aurels.
Then doth least hurt from him proceed and myschyfe leaste abounde.
¶ Of good workes.
Exterior deedes or workes be voyde
Alexse [...]erus.
vnsauorye and disgraste,
Excepte that from the harte they haue, there sause, and take their taste.
¶ Of f [...]me
A good reporte more precious is
Sal [...]on.
to him that doth it houlde.
[Page 8]Then ryches, fauoure lykewyse semes more valerous then goulde,
¶ Of victorye.
There is no greatter victorye by knowlege or by scyll:
Dioge.
Then man for to subde we hym selfe and ouercome his wyll.
¶ Of libertye.
No state possesseth perfectte ioye which lybertye dothe wante:
Dioge.
For nothing can be voyde of woes wheare lybertye is scante.
¶ Of truthe
Truth is the daughter of tyme which truth by ryght immortall seemes,
Auluss gelius.
Because when tyme hath couered long her state and eche man deems
That tyme hath broake the wynges of truth and that shee can not flye,
Marcus aure [...]
Yet truthe at laste with myghty forse her wisdome doth discrye.
¶ Of the soule.
As to the soule the bodye is a norisher of needes
Plutareh
So is the soule an instrumente, to god and thense proseedes:
¶ Of Loue.
Of loue, there is two seuerall kyndes the one of naturall loue
Cicero.
The other heauenly which surmounts the former farr aboue.
¶ Of Lyberalytie.
The lyberall man neglecteth not his goodes, but dothe mayntayne
Hermes.
His geuynge so, as hee maye keepe: to gyue his store agayne.
¶ Of Feare.
Feare is a vertue whiche dependes on loue, and louelye vse:
Alex: se ue [...]us.
And when as feare is voyde of loue then feare is in abuse.
¶ Of Uyce.
The man is curst whom power deuine hathe formed to bee wyse
Marcus: aureli.
And he inferyor to a man dothe make him selfe by vyce.
¶ Of Wytt.
He wyslye sees his proper wytt although it bee the beste
Protege.
Whych doth suppose it for the woorste the weakest add the leaste.
¶ Of a Foole.
[Page 9]The man that sekeeth felowshipp
Pitthago
or counsell of hys fooes:
Doth seeke the redye meanes to heape A boundanse of hys wooes.
¶ Of loue.
Nothing so harke or secrete is But loue can it espye,
Nothing so daungerous but loue
Seneca.
will sone attempt to trye.
¶ Of death.
Prayse no mans lyfe before his death for death discouers then:
Socrates
The man hys lyfe, and all that hee before hys death dyd meane.
¶ Of three pyttyfull thinges
Three thinges are to bee pytyed much the fourth can not be borne:
A good man sobiect to a shrewe hath myghtye cause to morne,
A wyse man thrall vnto a foole
Hermes
a lyberall to a wretch
Haue lykewyse cause by shryking cries there carefull throtes to stretch:
But when a foole is set a lofte and plased in the seate.
[Page]Where as a wise man shold beare rule▪ this open wronge is greate.
¶ Of good deedes.
The wight which knowes howe to doo well retaynes suffitiente scyll,
Pla [...]o.
And he hathe power ynough that can refrayne from doyng yll.
¶ Of frendship.
The distansye of plase can not d [...]sseuer the effecte
Isocrates
Of frendshipe, but maye slake his heat and proofe therof neglecte.
¶ Of a godly scare.
The vertueus man dothe so [...]er feare twoo prosprous dayes of welthe
Marcus aure.
Then for two hondred dayes take care of want or lacke of helthe.
¶ Of fooles:
Amongest the foolyshe rout of fooles, that foole exceedes the rest:
Which doth pretend to know the most
Pithago
and yet doth knowe the least.
¶ Of Godlye woorkes,
In lyfe the manye yeares of man shoulde not esteemed bee,
[Page 10]Except his yeares with manie woorks
Marcus aure.
of Godlynes agree.
¶ Of Luste & Lecherye.
NO sinne dooth sooner man inuade then lecherye or luste,
And nothing sooner workes his wooes or layes hym in the duste:
For it reprooueth Goulden fame and maketh all thynges waste,
And that which long the fathers paine hathe reapte it spendes in haste.
And maketh faynte the force of man and takes his strengthe awaye,
And doth deforme the flower of youth longe tyme before hys daye:
And fauour doth dysfygure cleane and beawtye dothe de [...]ace
And healthe indeuours to appare
Aristos:
and shortens vytall race:
And all diseases doth it brynge, and damps and [...]lles the wyte,
And grasses abeastelie minde in man, a fylthye and vnfytt,
And plungeth hym, and sosseth hym in puddle and in myre,
[Page]And broylethe syngeth and consumes his harte in scorchyng fyer.
¶ Of prayer.
A precious vertue prayer is
Pitthago ras.
which stronglye can preuayle,
Agaynste temptations and the harmes whiche do our lyues assayle.
¶ Of bringinge vp.
It is not possible for hime to vertue to attayne,
[...].
Whose youth hath not iustructed ben in vertue to take payne.
¶ Of disobedience.
The cheefest ruen of a realme or fountayne of decaye,
Ponta: nus.
Is disobedience to the thinges which ought to beare a swaye.
¶ Of gen [...]illnes.
Lyke as dysdainefull pryde doth tears the twiste of vertues knot
And iustise doth confound, and realmes and publike weales doth rot
And treadethe honore vnder fo [...]te and cleane suppresseth downe,
The happye gayne of good roporte and proffet of renowne.
[Page 11]So gentilnes and meekenes doth beneuolense prouoke,
And sweete affection styrreth vp
Alex [...] sene.
and slayes by dedlye stroke:
The rage of hatred and disdayne but kyndels whot desyre
To loue, and eche mans harte by force of fauoure settes on fyre.
¶ Of the noble man.
The noble man doth well dezerue of honour to haue parte,
Marcus aure.
The whiche adioyneth vertue, to his hyghe and noble harte.
¶ Of lyes.
To boaste or lye it is a vyce which makes the soule of man,
Socrate:
Soare sycke, & nothynge els but shame and reason, cure it, can.
¶ Of pouertye.
Theare is no fault in myserye in pouertie or neede,
Isocrat.
But suche as iudge the same thearof theye faultye are in deede.
¶ Of mysfortunes.
Of all mysfortunes that maye chaynce or chaunces that maye fall,
[Page]To haue ben fortunate it is
Socrates
the greatste myschaunce of all.
¶ Of Pleasures.
Possessions great and substance moue vertue to be suspecte,
Because theye bee the nurses to
Alex: seue.
delyghtes of wanton secte.
¶ Of couetousenes.
The fouleste vyce that maye bee found and ouglyest to beholde,
Is aueryse, whyche selles the soules
Pitthago ras.
of men, for gayne of goulde.
¶ Of the pleasures of the soule
The pleasures of the soule whear in The soule doth moste delight
Aristot.
Is for to knowe his god him selfe and heauenlye thynges a ryght.
¶ Of prosperytie.
The more thy fate aduanseth thee the more shouldst thou, abase
Cicero.
Thy selfe, and least suppose of suche thy state, or happye case.
¶ Of idlenes.
Idlenes is, the syncke of synne whiche gapes and styll receaues,
[Page 12]Eche st ynkynge puddle in his mouthe that vyce to him bequeaues:
And when bryin full it can not then
Alexse [...].
sustayne to carrye more,
It brasteth out his poysoned ayre the whiche it helde before.
¶ Of measure.
Spende not to muche, nor bee to neare
Pitthago ras.
so shalt thou measure haue
And neyther want to lyue, nor to thy substance bee a slaue.
¶ Of the soule.
A vysage that deformed is dothe seeme af [...]lthye sight:
Pit [...]ags
But muche more is a soule def [...]lde, whiche hath in vice del [...]ght.
¶ Of dissention.
Lyke as a spotte, in tyme shoulde bee remoued from his place
And cleanlye wyped out leaste h [...]e the garment more disgrace:
[...].
So shoulde dissention at the fyrste bee seassed in the pryme,
Before it growe to further hate through lengthe or traste of tyme.
¶ Of wrathe
[Page]If that thou canst not rule thy wyll or brydell wrathfull yre,
Hermes.
Keepe close the same for that shal quēch the flamynges of suche fyre.
¶ Of Lawe.
An euill lawe and a fooles loue is lyke a cloude: in scye
Seneca.
Which now appeares, but straight dis­perst and seene by no mans eye.
¶ Of science.
A man maye scyence get by payne and knowledge by hys shyftes,
Aristit.
But wysdome and discression bee of God the seldome gyftes.
¶ Of the learned.
The ignorāt man had need haue mirth and musyke in his feastes,
Socrates
But of the learned man his voyce, can better cheare his geastes.
¶ Of conceyte.
The man hath leaste of sence, and is for eche deuyce vnfytt,
Iesussy rach.
That beste supposeth of him selfe, and trusteth to his wytt.
¶ Of faythe.
[Page 13]From perfecte faythe proceedeth feare from feare proceedeth hate
Iesussy rach.
Of yll, from hate of ill, proceedes good hope in aduerse state,
And thē through hope, the faithful mind is locked in a chayre
Of helthe: and happynes but shutt from doubtynge or dispayre.
¶ Of vnprofitable liuing.
That man moste viciouslye dothe lyue and hatred ought to chase
Iuuenal.
Who lyueth onelie for him selfe and for his proper case.
¶ Of the [...]onge.
As by the tonge the treasures of the harte are so dysclosd
That thearby frendshypp is begonn and thearto truste deposd,
And earthlye substaunce is increaste and lyfe is brought to staye,
And eke the bodye well preserud
Legmon.
and kept from his decaye,
So lykewyse purchaseth the same muche hatred and dyspyght:
Greate mischyfes: and in euerye thing the losse of his delyght.
¶ Of perfecte patience.
The man is perfecte patient who when furye doth assaye
Socr [...]es
His harte, can brydle his affectes and appetytes delaye.
¶ Of gyftes.
Gyue to the wyse, and hee will thanke, the foole willl aske the more:
Socrates
Use therfore wysdome in thy gyftes so shalte thou purchase store.
¶ Of sorowe.
The redyest meanes to ease a grye [...]s is idlenes to flye,
Marcus aurel [...].
And vse some exersyse for thys dame sorowe dothe denye.
¶ Of a Iudge.
¶ Hatred, loue, and auarice Bee causes diuerse times
That Iudges slackly punish vice
Aris [...]t
and stifly maintayne crimes.
¶ Of a Foole.
¶ When as a Foole, of riches hathe
Aris [...]ot
or substaunce any store,
His Riches make him more a foole then [...]re he was before.
¶ Of Nature.
[Page 14]Ech thing saue nature, may be changde
Solon.
eche thyng eschew [...]e saue death,
And it is naturall for man to leese his vytall breth.
¶ Of godlye woorkes.
The man that vseth dilygence and care good woorkes to sowe,
Socrates:
With ioye shall reape the fruictfulnes, that of suche woorkes do growe.
¶ Of a wysemans harte.
The hartes of wyse men bee the fortes or castles whiche witheholde
Pithago [...]
The secreates, leaste the tic [...]le tonge theyr counsels shoulde vnfolde.
¶ Of an vniuste man.
It is a noysome laboure and a trauell spent in vayne
A fond indeuour of no good and eke a frui [...]tles payne:
Marcus [...]
To gyue the rule of iustice to the man that is vniuste,
Who rather in the lytleste thynges dezerueth moste mystruste.
¶ Of houore.
To loftye honore whearin is to muche of statelye pryde,
Pl [...]tarch
[Page]Is lyke a thynge which stands on hye and suddaynlye dothe slyde.
¶ Of Knowledge.
A man whyche doth presume to bee
Aris ip
a man, and hath no skyll
Is lyke a stone which neyther sappe
Mar [...]us [...].
nor lyckor dothe dystyll.
¶ The depycture of a wrathfull man.
Yf man do marke the foolishe rage of wrathe, and ponder well,
How man dysfigurde is therby: into a monster fell
With foule infarsed rankrous face with mouth imboste and swolne,
And staryng eyes and stampping feete
Cicere.
and lyppes as black as colne,
And flautring tong and chattring teth and brayinge roarynge voyse,
And poisned spitful wordes and works of suche vnseemely noyse
His harte wolde loth this ouglye vyce and vtterlye detest.
The same to see the forme of man conuerted in a beaste.
¶ Of the harte.
[Page 15]The heauye harte and sorowfull
Marcu [...] aure:
doth lyue by sobbes and teares,
And lafes at dethe, because hys syghte dothe ryd hym from his feares.
¶ Of reuenge.
The redyest waye to seeke reuenge is it for to dyspyse
Marcus aureli.
And wronge contemne this rightlye do and then thou shalte be wyse.
¶ Of the wyt.
Lyke as there is no tree, excepte it good attendaunse haue,
That will bee fertyll or resygne suche fruictes as wee do cra [...]e.
Plu [...]arch
No more our wytt wyll proffit vs or yelde vs anye welth,
Except we fyrste imploye or payne for to deuyse his helthe.
¶ Of prosperitie and aduersitie.
In tyme of troubell constantnes and patiense sholde the guide
In tyme of welth thy lowlynes
Marcus aureil.
shold brydell thee from pryde.
¶ Of the begininge.
Consider the begyninge, so the ende shall surer bee.
[Page]For one mischaunce another drawes
Aristot:
and both wyll hyndre thee.
¶ Of a scoldynge woman.
Who so the woman can refrayne that s [...]owes her poysoned mynde
Salamon▪
By spiteful woords doth he [...]ld fast oyle and doth re [...]arne the winde.
¶ Of a fooles honore.
Lyke as the snowe in summer is or rayne, in haruest prime
A fruictles thynge and moste vnfytt for suche a pleasaunt tyme:
Iesus sy r [...]ch.
So lykewyse honore for vnwise or woorshypp for a foole,
Dothe seeme an instrument vnapt a fonde and fruictles toole.
¶ Of the knowledge of our selues.
Yf thou desyreste to knowe thy selfe
Seneca.
peruse thy selfe, and waye
Thy selfe: but credicte not the thynges that other by thee saye.
¶ Howe to prayse.
If thou wouldst prayse a man bycause hee sprynges of noble blood,
[...]we well, if that his parentes eke deserue a prayse as good:
[Page 16]Yf for his ryches thinke that fate and fortune tickle is,
Yf for his strength suppose disease maye make it fare amisse,
If for his swiftnesse beare in mynde, that age can it deface,
If for his beutie know the same
[...]
will vanish in a space.
But if for vertue, witte, or shyll, or els for wisdomes store:
[...]low forth thy trōpe of fame w t force, for they will flourish more.
And neither heritage dooth yelde nor Fortune alter may,
Nor age deface, nor time deforme, nor anye chaunce decaye.
¶ Of Idlenesse.
None lust more fearsly dooth assaulte, or lechery tormentes,
Then those whom Idlenes inhauntes,
Plato.
and slouthfulnes frequentes.
¶ Of Dronkennesse.
As when good wine doth spurge by kynde there will amounte & ryse
The nether partes therof, and that
Plato.
within the bottome lyes.
[Page]So bee the secretes of the harte by dronkennes disclosd,
And all such counseles as therto
Plutarch
we are faythfullye reposd.
¶ Of nature.
If after nature thou wylte lyue thou neuer shalte be poore,
If after thyne opinion then
Seneca.
thou neuer shalt haue stoare.
¶ Of inordinate desyre.
There is no greife in wante or neede but where there is desyer,
Inordinate, of hauing that
August. ce [...]sarus.
the fansye dothe requier.
¶ Of the kynges courte.
The courte or pallayce of the prynce or dwellinges of the kynge,
Is as a fountayne to his realme from whence if cleannes sprynge
Unto his peoplle do proceede
Alexse [...]erus.
the fruictes of honeste lyfe,
But if vncleannes then dothe rayne eche fylthye vyse as ryfe.
¶ Of counsayll.
Demaunde no counsell of the man that seemeth to dyspyce.
[Page 17]Thy state, but hide it from thy fooe so shall thy harte bee wise
Nor take, of woman her aduice in matters that shee woulde
Nor counsell, touchynge wars of him whyche therin is not boulde,
Iesus sy rach.
Nor of a byer howe that thou thy wares to hym shouldst sell,
Nor of an [...]uyous man howe thou, with other men shouldst deale,
Nor of the slouthfull how thy state thou mayest in welthe mayntayne.
Nor of the idle howe to gett a profit or a gayne:
But of the vertuous take aduice and hee shall tell thee [...]este,
The thynge that needefull is for thee and meete to thy requeste.
¶ Of the prodygall & niggarde.
The great consumption of the man whyche spendes his goods in vayne,
Doth heape him sorow, shame, & neede and muche deserued payne,
Protege.
And hee that niggardlye dothe spare his goods to ruste and rotte,
[Page]Dothe purchase wittnes how the same hee hath retaynde and gotte.
¶ Of a Woman.
Lyke as a blocke thoughe it bee decte with pearle and precious goulde,
If it no comlye shape or forme or feature fyne doe houlde,
Is not to bee regarded, so,
Plato.
a woman or a wyfe
Thoughe shee bee beautifull, and haue no manners in her lyfe,
Is not to bee esteemed more then is a brutishe swine,
Whom neyther goulde nor other coste can make sufficient fyne.
¶ Of a good life.
Suppose not of thy selfe to muche by foolyshe prowde consaite,
Nor craue to seeme a greater man then thou doeste waye by wayght,
Nor bee not cruell but dispise suche churlyshnes, and vse
Meeke gentlenes, nor flatter not,
Sene [...]a.
nor seeme not to abbuse
The frendshipp offred vnto thee, but render lyke a gayne:
[Page 18]And then bee slowe to wrath, but swift to cure thy neyghbours payne,
And thou shalt lyue in happie state in worshipp and at ease,
And if thou fayle, aredie helpe shall soone thy care appease.
¶ Of our creation.
As from the mightie God our fyrste beginninge did proceede:
That lykewise they to him returne
Aristot:
it seemes, a seemelye neede.
¶ Of Feare.
The man that onelye worshipps God for feare of a mischaunce:
Is lyke the man that for lyke feare
Plutare
dothe tyrantes fame aduaunce.
¶ Of Credence.
Gyue neyther to muche credence to a tale is toulde to thee
Nor to much scorne, for these the guise
Isocrates
of fooles and mad men bee.
¶ Howe to make the witt apt.
Ne wit, ne courage, strength, ne force, can floryshe in his kynde,
If eyter slothe or foule excesse by vse oppresse the mynde,
[Page]For strengthe of bodye is resolued the wyttes consume and waste,
And bee disperste to fruitles end▪
Alexse [...]rus.
and lose their sauorye taste
But by good order of the lyfe and practyse in the same
Both witt and courage prosper well and gett immorrall fame.
¶ Of Loue.
OF loue fyue seuerall sortes the [...] bee, and one deserueth prayse,
And three bee wicked, and the fourthe to natures will obayes.
Pitthago ras.
The firste is mutuall loue, which loue to eche man dothe abounde,
Prouoked be the feare of God, or els by frendshipp founde.
The other loue is naturall whiche loue him selfe extendes,
Unto his kinred or his stocke or other suche his frendes,
An other loue ther is whiche loues
Pithago
an other man, for that
That louelye vse might purchase him aduaunsement to his state:
[Page 19]And so some loue for lukers sake, by flattrye to attayne:
When as they neede, some redye help or els some pryuate gayne,
And laste, therbee whiche dote in loue, by louinge that whiche thaye,
In tyme doo fynde a fruictles loue that woorkes theyr owne decaye.
¶ Of lybertye.
Of euerye earthlie thinge that moste hys lybertie dothe craue▪
Alex [...] seue.
Mannes fansye lyketh beste of all his lybertye to haue.
¶ Of frendes.
Yf frendes theyr frendshypp well haue bought & fredshipp well haue sould,
Their cares, theyrioyes, and eke their paines
Aristot [...]
in common they d [...] hould.
¶ Of vice.
No man can vertue gett except, hee fyrste do cleane [...]yle
Hermes.
His vices, whiche pollute his partes and do his soule def [...]le.
¶ Of faythe.
The faythe of faythfull men not vsd,
Socrate [...]
or practysd makes it faynt:
[Page]And diuers great displeasures reapes and moues it to complaynte.
¶ Of Honore not dezerued.
As withred flowers do shed ther leaues so shall the honourd wyght
Cicero.
Whiche dothe dezerue no honore, vade and purchase him dispight.
¶ Of Counsell.
Though fewe in counsell maye suffyse, yet take the good aduise
Of manye, for the more ther is the better dothe aryse,
Preuentynge of the harmes that maye by ouersyghte insewe:
For one will shewe the oulde misehapp
Marcus aureli.
another tell the newe,
Another what the domage is another what the gayne,
Another, remedie disclose for euerye pryuie payne.
¶ Of mens Lawes.
The lawes whiche men doe make may well to cobwebbes bee comparde,
Marcus aure.
Through whiche greate flyes be soone escapt but litle faste insnarde.
¶ Of a Iudge.
[Page 20]Whome good deliberation and perfecte proofe haue founde
To bee deuoyde of eche suspecte,
Alex [...] seue.
and of a iudgemente sounde:
Suche men shoulde bee assignde to rule and iustice to dispose,
Whose hartes the tract of time shoulde proue true dealynges to disclose.
¶ Of a quarreler.
As coales or woode prouoketh heate and makes a flaminge fire,
Salomon
So dothe a man that hath delyght in brawlynge, stirre vpp yre.
¶ Of a Prince.
Like as a Prince should gracious be, and bountifull of wyll
Philip Rex.
Unto the good, so sharpe▪ seuere and rough vnto the ill.
¶ Of the soule.
The night is tedious vnto man, but muche more is the spright
Socrates
Of man, if it be destitute or voyde of heauenly light.
Of the Worlde.
The man that byndes himselfe vnto this worlde, must whole bequeaue
[Page]And yeld him selfe, to these .iii thinges whiche needes hee muste receaue:
Fyrste vnto neede, for neuer hee
Archi la [...]
suffisaunce shall attayne,
Then vnto losse, and hassardes great and laste to endles payne.
¶ Of the soules sycknes.
Euen as the soule doth farre surpas the bodye, so lykewyse
The griefes thearof more greater are,
Dioge.
then bodye can deuyse.
¶ Of delyberation.
The wiseman with [...]iser ession doth his deedes for feare of waste,
Salamon
The foole with follye doth attempte his woorkes in harishe haste.
¶ Of a Prynce.
The Prynces lyfe is as a marke whiche eche man shootethe at,
Or as a glasse wherin the realme maye see his proper state:
Marcus aureli.
For wherunto the kynge inclynde dothe vse his busye payne
Unto the same his subiectes moste adicted doe remayne.
¶ Of frendshipp.
[Page 21]The wyght that from the life of man
Cicero.
would frendshipp take a waye,
Shold seme to take the sun from yerth or els the lyght from daye.
¶ Of Hope.
The hope of thinges, is bondage great dispaire is free of all:
Tha [...]es.
The one at ease is sure to stande The other feares to fall.
¶ Of mercie
Compassion ought for to bee showne to suche as lyue in griefe,
Alex se [...].
And pouertie, and neede, and suche as wante of suche reliefe.
¶ Of the lyberall man.
The lyberall man doth not receaue the ryght of this his name,
By valewe of the thynges he giues nor purchaseth his fame:
But by the frendelye gentlenes
Aristor.
aboundynge in his harte,
Which moueth him by louynge zeale his substance to imparte.
¶ Of Loue.
In louynge him that hatethe vs
Plato.
wee can not take delyght,
[Page]Let eche man therfore lyue for loue, that hee deserue no spite.
¶ Of good counsell.
Where as good counsell is not, there the people doo decaye:
Sal [...]mon.
But if aduise doo rule, there state dooth stande in perfecte staye.
¶ Of Obedience.
That publike welth doth surely stande and is in prosperous plight,
Where as the Prince obedience hath and reuerence a right:
Iustin.
For rightfull dutie doone to him dooth moue him for to showe
His fauour likewise vnto them and so dooth concorde growe.
¶ Of Honest lyfe.
It is a thyng vnnaturall
Cicero.
that men by others spoyle
shuld lyue, and therby heape his goodes and vse no further toyle.
¶ Of Riche men.
The painfull trauell riche men vse to haue their goodes encreast,
Iesus sy ra [...]h.
Consumes their bones, & weares their flesh & makes them want their rest.
¶ Of the happie man.
Of all whiche happie men haue ben.
Iesus sy rach.
that man deserues the name
Of happie, who hath lyued, to get by death, parpetuall fame.
¶ Of Uertew.
Pure Uertue is a fortresse strong, that neuer can be wonne:
A pleasaunt riuer, that, by forse can neuer be vndone:
A [...]ea, that neuer moues his waues: a Fire that dooth defende
His heate, whiche neuer quenched is a treasure hathe no ende:
Marcus aure:
An Armie neuer vanquished: a burden very light:
A Spie, that neuer taken is a token pointyng ryght.
A parfecte pathwaye neuer fayles: a Sirrope whiche dooth cure
And healeth streight: a hye renoune that euer dooth endure.
¶ Of a Good man.
The man which dooth an honest deede, is better then his acte:
[Page]So lykewyse hee whiche woorketh yll
Socrates
is worser then the facte.
¶ Of the yll.
If needes thou wylt, imploye thy selfe to wickednes and ill:
Socrates:
Where God is absent there bee bould to woorke thy wycked will.
¶ Of the ignorante.
The man vnscylfull, is of truste and creditt verye lyght:
But learned men by learninges scyll
Salamon.
in eche thynge haue foresyght.
¶ Who knowes.
The man that vnderstandes not that whyche hee by right should knowe,
Amongst the feloship of men a brutishe beaste dothe growe:
Pitthag [...]
And hee that knowes nomore then sar­ues to satisfie his neade,
Amonge brute beastes is as a man and sarues no further steade,
But hee y • knows all should be known and eche thynge vnderstandes
Amongste men is a God, and lyues vnbounde from errors bandes.
¶ Of a dead foole.
[Page 23]The wyse man lyues because he knoes the thinges by learned scill,
That hee indeuours or attemptes or guydeth by his wyll
But the vnlearned foole is dead
Plato.
because hee knowes not that
Whiche hee deuiseth or assaultes, and proues hee knowes not what.
¶ Of the slothfull.
The slothfull man ingenders sleepe and breedes his proper payne:
And doth disease his bodyes helth
Salamon.
and honger dothe sustayne.
¶ Of an ignorant man.
An ignorant man maye bee discried by want of reasons sayll,
Because hee knowes not howe to rule him selfe or guyde hys wyll,
And eke by lacke of witt because hee knowes not to refrayne
Plato.
His luste, but folowes vice vnwares and runnes in hedlonge payne,
And laste, by bondage that hee is supprest in womans yoke,
The whiche his mynde to euerye filthe and follye dothe prouoke.
¶ Of perfecte good.
A man can not be perfecte good If he dispise his fo:
Plato.
What is he then, if to his frende, hee offer to doo so.
¶ Of wyse men.
Like as to men, which Olephantes enstructe or seeke to tame,
Do weare no colours white, lest that they shoulde displease the same:
Or as the kepers of wilde bulles doo warely refuse
To geue them syght of colours lyght.
Plutarch
lest they shoulde them misuse:
So likewise, wise men ought to shun and good men to eschewe
All thynges wherof mishap or harme maye folowe or ensewe.
¶ Of Youthe.
As waxe is pliaunte to receaue the printe of euery seale:
Mermes:
So Youthe, eche doctrine taught to him is readye to reueale.
¶ Of the Couetous man.
The Couetous man, a Dropsye hathe: for still the greater store
[Page 24]He dooth possosse of want and neede
Pitthago
he euer hathe the more.
¶ Of Flaterye.
As wormes doo seeke the softest wood and there encrease their nest:
Plus.
So Flatery sonest dooth deceaue the gentliest and the best.
¶ Of Lust.
Dishonour, shame, and euyll ende dependes on filthye lust,
Aristot.
And it defaseth fame, and soone consume him to the dust.
¶ Of Diligence.
The man that vseth diligence in ought he dooth pretende.
Arist [...].
His deedes or woorkes with quietnesse shall bryng to perfect ende.
¶ Of Richesse.
These Richesse ought to be dispisde whom wast dooth spende in vayne,
Pithago▪
Or Auarise dooth heape, wherof doothe spryng no good or gayne.
¶ Of Fortune.
The brickle forme of Fortuns wheele, So tickle is and vayne,
[Page]That now it hoysteth vp alofte and nowe reuokes agayne,
And after flattreth by her guyse
Marcus [...]re:
and showes a short delyght,
Whear [...]ye, in tyme her subtill wyle doth woorke a greater spyght.
¶ Of chyldren.
The diposition of the chylde, or manners of the same:
Philip Rex.
Is eyther to the fathers prayse or to the fathers blame.
¶ Of men whych liue in sorowe.
There be syxe sorts of wretched men whyche euer lyue in wooes,
And drous [...]e care, and by no meanes maye bee deuoyd of those.
The fyrste is hee whose memorye
Philip Rex.
can not forgett hys payne
Or trouble, but recordes his greife whiche moues him to complayne:
Another is the enuyous man, whose harte dothe melt by spyghte
And care, to see his fooe aduaunste or lyue in happie plighte,
Another hee who dwells in place wheare as hee can not thryue,
[Page 25]And sees another prosper well whom fate dooth not depriue:
Another is the hautye man suppressed by decaye:
Another hee whiche can not get his wisshe by anye waye,
And last, the man which doth enhaunte the felowship of wise,
And can not yet obtayne suche skyll. as fayne he woulde deuise.
¶ Of the soules vexacion.
The greatest griefe or dolours which the bodye dooth sustayne
Socrates
Can not be likened to the souls most least surmised payne.
¶ Of a Pikethanke.
Hee that in presence vnto thee an other wyll defame
when thou arte absent, of thy selfe wyll doo the verye same.
Hermes:
For none mistrust dooth more deserue or doubtfulnesse then they
whiche can the wyll of euerye man accordingly obeye.
¶ Of Trauell.
[Page]The trauels labours or the paynes necessitie requiers,
Marcus aurels.
Should bee sustaind with courage good and stedfaste whot desyres.
¶ Of the Witt.
The greateste vice that dothe abuse the witt of man is this,
Iesus sy rach.
By others faynynge of him selfe to iudge or thinke amisse.
¶ Of Uaynglorie.
Euen as the famyshed for wante of sustenaunce or foode
Is somtyme forste to eate his fleshe
Plutare
and drynke his proper bloode:
So the vayneglorious man for lacke of others good reporte,
Is fayne to prayse him selfe to them, in seekinge their resorte.
¶ Of purchasynge loue.
Yf thou desyre vnto thye selfe good fauour to attaine,
Or stedfaste loue of faythfull frend [...] then do thye busie payne:
Proper c [...]ne.
For to forbeare his testie wrathe, but when the same is paste,
[Page 26]Then easylie reproue his faulte and hee shall yelde at las [...]e.
¶ Of Wrathe.
Wrathe makes a man an ouglie beast, but dronkennes dothe more:
Deforme the visage of the soule
Plato.
whiche nothinge can restore.
¶ Of the gyuer.
The man that hath sufficiente power to gyue a fruictfull gifte
Unto his frende, and dothe it not, pretendes a subtill shifte:
And hee that promisethe to giue
Marcus aure.
and seekethe a delaye,
Him for a weake suspicious frend by ryght suppose wee maye.
¶ Of the spitefull man.
As greene wood lies & smolthers longe before it takes the fier,
But once throughe kindled hotter is, then woode whiche is more drier:
So is the man whose harte can not
Plato.
bee moued strayght to wrathe
When he is vexte, more hotte then hee who hastie nature hathe.
¶ Of the witt.
[Page]Ercepte the fielde be tilde with care, it lyeth voyde of gayne:
And so the witt vnexersisde
Plato.
no profite dooth attayne.
¶ Of the Tongue.
It is a most vnseemlye thyng vnpleasannte and vnfitt,
when as the slippery tongue of man
Socrates
dooth runne, before his witt.
¶ Of Equall Frendship.
Tis seldome seene that frendship doth endure in full effecte.
where as the same vnegall seemes, in anye one respecte:
As with the sturdye stoburne man the easye gentle harte,
Plato.
Can not continew but by time, their frendshipp will departe:
Nor hee whom Fortune hath aduaunst or sett in hye estate:
with him whose case decaid by chaunce, is ouerthrowne by fate:
Nor hee whiche seeketh to ascende with hym whose greedy mynde
is likewise bent to clime a lofte
Plato.
his honour for to fynde.
[Page 27]But where as Fortune equall is and natures workes alyke,
And stomakes luker do dispyse there stedfaste loue dothe sticke.
¶ Of an vnlearned Riche man.
The ryche man voyde of learnings skill, is lyke a patched peese:
Or as a sheepe whiche on his skine
Dioge.
dothe weare a Goulden fleese.
¶ Of Almes.
Yf thou extende thy will and welth [...] to satisfie the poore:
Then God the rather will dispose
Socrates
and gyue to thee the more
¶ Of Slothe.
The slothfull man is made of clay [...] or durte the whiche polutes
Iesus sy rach.
The toucher of the same, and sloth the state of man confutes.
¶ Of the Worlde.
This worlde is like a burninge fyre wherof if thou doe take
A lytle, it will warme thee well
Pitthago
and coldnes will aslake:
But if to muche thou gripe the force therof thie selfe will burne,
[Page]And thus the more therof thou fakeste the lesse it serues thye turne.
¶ Of the knowledge of this worlde.
IF to thy selfe, thou purchase woulde the needefull perfect skill,
Bothe of thy selfe, and of this worlde, imploye thye paynefull will
With busie care for to suppose and diligence to waye,
Three singul [...]r especiall thinges wheron thie state dothe staye:
The firste which rightly doth require the chiefest roume or place:
Thy soule it is because the same pretends in this same case,
The figure which immortall is of portrature diuine:
Created by the mighty God, who did the same assigne.
The next and seconde to the same thy body, which the graue
Or closet is of that thy soule: which body semes to haue.
The execution of the aduise the soule by heauenly grace:
[Page 28]Doth moue and stirre the body to, when vice it doth deface.
And last as seruaunt to the rest this world supplies the nede
Of euery thing the body lackes, and is the least in dede.
Let therfore thus accordingly
Socrat [...]
the eyesight of thy minde
Respect [...] the vertues of these three, as thou therof shalt finde.
And first accompt thy soule the best and therfore most bequeaue,
Thy diligence vnto the same which ought it to receaue.
And then vnto thy body next, according to degre:
And last and least vnto the world for so it ought to be.
¶ Of Iustice.
The man that vseth Iustice shall both got him loue and feare:
Seneca.
But where as Iustice is abused each vice aboundeth there.
¶ Of punishment of the wicked.
[Page]As cuttynge of the vine doth cause the same to florishe more,
So sharpnes vsde to euill men
Plato.
dothe make the lesser store.
¶ Of Pacience.
The vertue of pacience is not got by force, nor strengthe refraines
But by the goodnes and the grace
Plato.
the soule of man contaynes.
¶ Of a Prynce.
That Prince the moste vnhappiest is whiche happye thynkes his state,
Marcus aureli.
Because his cofers bee inrichte or he aduaynste by fate.
¶ Of a Prynces office.
Lyke as the sonne is equall to the ryche man and the poore,
And shines as well on barren grounde,
Soerates
as on the firtile store:
So ought a prince to haue regarde vnto the thynge hee heares,
And not vnto the persons, but vse equallye his eares.
¶ Of swearynge.
The man that manie othes frequentes
Iesussy.
shall lyue in cursed dayes:
[Page 29]And plagues shal neuer leaue his house and shame shalbee his prayse.
¶ Of the ciuill lawe.
The full effecte of Ciuill lawe, if it be good and true:
Cicero.
Is to lyue well and hurte no man, and gyue eche one his due.
¶ Of the witt.
A quiet witt and skilfull sence, dothe ponder what is paste:
Alex: seue.
And what is nowe, and what to cum, and so auoydethe waste.
¶ Of Iudgement.
It is more better for a man, to iudge amongste his foes
Alex: se
Then frends: for he shal therbie make a frende of one of those.
¶ Of Iustice.
Iustice, is not onelie parte or peece of vertues prayse,
But is the sum of vertues welth,
Aristot.
and head of vertues stayes.
¶ Of an vnquiet wise.
As to the feete of aged men it is a tedious payne,
[...]
[Page]And maketh hartie all his fooes but makes his people faynt,
And therby honoure fled, with shame bee dothe him selfe acquaynt.
¶ Of the Soule.
Lyke as the eye without his syght is blynde and nothinge sees,
Plato.
Euen so the soule deuoyde of grace, is blinde and nought discries.
¶ Of perseueraunce in counsell.
Lyke as a sycke man which demaund [...] good councell for his welthe,
Of the Phisission, and denies the medsyne for his health:
Euen so the man whom doctrine good instructed hath, to learne
Seneca.
If hee perseuer not therin no knowledge can deserne.
¶ Of Foolishnes.
It is the nature of a foole with scorne for to deride,
Cicero.
The litle faultes of other men and leaue his owne vnspyde
¶ Of youthe.
After the course of winter tyme
Plutarch
the sprynge doth folowe faste:
[Page 31]But after age shall neuer youth [...] returne, but deathe at laste.
¶ Of a rare thynge.
Of all thynges rare vppon the earth or seldome on the grounde:
Marcus▪ [...]ure.
A ryche man, good, most rarest is and hardeste to bee founde.
¶ Of a good Iudge.
The iudge whiche winneth more good will then monye, winnethe well:
Marcus aureli.
But hee that winnethe monye, more then loue, dothe weakelye deale.
¶ Who may not bee iuste.
The man that dredethe payne or death or feareth for exile,
Cicero.
May not bee iuste nor voyde of vice, nor wantynge subtill guyle.
¶ Of the witt without knowledge.
Euen as a barren tree deuoyd of fruicte or fertill gayne,
Socrates.
So is a witt that hathe no skill, or els, a senceles brayne.
¶ Of Contempte.
No man contempte can suffer, for
[...]
none thinkes him selfe so vyl [...]
[Page]As for to be despysd, or had in scornefull hates exile.
¶ Of mans property.
The nature of a man is most that thing for to require:
Thales.
The which occasion doth forbid to graunt to his desire.
¶ Of Credyte.
As after lyfe once lost, that lyfe retourneth not agayne:
Alex▪ seue.
So credyte once abused, is lost but byndrance doth remayne.
¶ Ofselfeloue.
Selfeloue an ougly vyce, desames the hygh and lofty state:
And blyndeth many by the toyes conceaued of flattring fate.
Cicero.
For many fooles by glosing guyle vpholding fancies wyll:
Be farre deceaued, and themselues wyth swelling pride doe fyll.
¶ Of a Princes dutye.
The greater power and force a Prince attayneth by hys fate:
Marcus [...]ure:
The greater vertue should he vse to be wtify his state.
¶ Of people or subiects.
As wynde vnto the fier is in causing it to flame:
Pitthago
So be the people to the prynce in raysing vp hys name.
¶ Of the Worlde.
This world is as a priuye path wherin doe thistles lye:
Seneca.
And therfore men shold take good bed [...] howe they doe passe therby.
¶ Of Rulers.
The man that would a ruler be must labour first to learne
A subiectes duety: then to guide he better shall discerne.
Alex: se
For he that is a subiect proude or couetous of heart:
Shall neuer tempratelye fulfill a rulers busy parte.
¶ Of counsell takyng.
There can not be in mortall man
Plato.
a matter more diuine
Then good aduice: for to demaunde in ought he doth assigne.
¶ Of God.
Y Fthou wouldste rightlye knowe to please the mightie god of heauen,
Of all thinges needefull moste therto be these, insuinge seuen:
The fyrste that man doe neuer leaue his God for other men,
Least likewise God when he shal neede forsake his case as cleane:
The seconde, that it more auayles to truste vnto the might
Of the immortall God, then all
Marcus aure:
the power of mortall fight:
The thirde that wee emploie our cares leaste wee prouoke the yre
Of God, whose anger ragethe more then dothe the broylinge fyre.
The fourth that God doth not forget a man for all his crimes,
Except, that man doe firste forget his God, a thousande times.
The fyfthe, that god doth punishe more the good men then the ill,
Because his mercie maye pursue the teachinge of his will.
[Page 33]The sixte that if in time of warres we would our welth increase:
We duely serue and seeke to please our God in time of peace.
The seuenth, that god to no man sends or realme his plague or threat:
Except that man or realme haue first committed vices great.
Marcus aure.
For as God is of mercy full whose pitie we may trust:
So is he sharpe, seuere and rough and yet a God most iust.
¶ Of worldly honor.
He worldly honor doth contemne the which is perfect wise:
Plato.
And he which riches doth imbrace must wisedome needes dispyse.
¶ Of Lawe.
The happy realm which hath good law hath such a propp and stay:
Socrates
That therby all thinges florish fast but nothing can decay.
Wisedome is a wholesome tree which springeth from the hart:
Plato.
And in the tongue doth beare his fruits and giueth each man part.
¶ Of a wise man.
By these thre chiefe and proper poynts thou mayst a wise man knowe:
By making him a faythfull friende which was his vtter foe.
Isocrates
By making learned such as rude and ignorant haue been:
And last by good reforming those which wallow in their sinne.
¶ Of study.
Like as the earth sustaynes the roote of any herbe or tree:
But yet the Sunne by holesome heats doth cause there blossomes be.
So study bredes the sappy dewe
Protege.
of knowledge and of skill:
And loue and fauor moues the same his vertues to distill.
¶ Of man.
We haue a soule and body which be diuersly enclynde:
Catelin.
The one participate with God, the other brutish kinde.
¶ Of Riches.
The rich mans substance doth prouoke his heart to euery vyce:
[Page 34]By mouing him to pleasures fonde
Aristot
wherof great harmes arise.
¶ Of childehode.
Nothing doth sticke more fast in minde or planted is so deepe:
As that which in his tender youth
Fabius.
a man hath sought to keepe.
¶ Of wordes.
The disposition of the minde may best be vnderstode:
Dioge.
By the procedings of the mouth as they be nought or good.
¶ Of good deedes.
So doo thy deedes as thou wouldst haue the same for to be knowne:
Euripi des.
Yet kepe them close a while, and then at large let them be showen.
¶ Of Concorde.
No peace ne concorde may endure amongst such foolish men:
As know not reuerence for to giue, to whom, wherefore nor when.
For where as all men be alyke, there is continuall strife:
Iustin.
And therby hatred and decay, and ruine raigne as rife.
¶ Of vice.
As we are set in great delites
Marcus aureli.
and worldly pleasant fame
By vice, so likewise mischiefes more we purchase by the same.
¶ Of vaine glory.
As he that giues vnwillingly but little seemes to haue:
Marcus aure.
So he that prayseth slenderly seemes prayse agayne to craue.
¶ Of Uertue.
Eachman by trauayle wil prouoke and put himselfe to payne:
To get the treasure of this world and wealth of earthly gayne.
Dioge.
But much more requisite it is that man should vse his care:
To seeke for vertue which no time can alter nor apare.
¶ Of vertuous deedes.
Tis better much, for vertuous deedes to take rebuke and shame:
Hermes
Then by deceite of vicious workes to get renowne and fame.
¶ Of fayre wordes.
[Page 35]In trouble pouerty or neede
Marcus aureli.
sweete wordes doo profite small:
Except that also sweete good workes be mingled therwithall.
¶ Of an Enuious man.
The serpents spew their venim out and poyson, to intente
To damage other men therwith, and therefore is it spente.
Seneca.
But the malicious man doth more him selfe with filth infecte
Then any els, and therfore most his owne wealth doth detecte.
¶ Of Liberality.
Ther be two fountains which approue
Valeri us maxi
the liberall mans good sauour:
The one is iudgement sound or sure the other honest fauour.
¶ Of the most euill thing.
As nothing better then good men in all the world remaynes:
Proteg.
So nothing worse then euill men or wicked it contaynes.
¶ Of Conditions.
Like as in each Pomegranate is
Plato.
some rotten seede or grayne:
[Page]So some condition that is yll in each man doth remayne.
¶ Of giftes.
If thou wouldst giue, & wouldst therin auoyde suspitious fame:
Thou must with measure vse thy gifts and wisely weigh the same.
Solon.
For if too little they be, then report will say in hast:
Thou art a niggarde, if too great it iudgeth thee to waste.
¶ Of Fayth.
Nothing a common welth preserues and nothing profite stayth:
Cicero [...]
So much in perfect proofe of wealth as doth the vertuous fayth.
¶ Of trueth.
Trueth is the messenger of God which each man ought to take:
Plato.
Both for the nature of hir selfe and for hir masters sake.
¶ Of good behauiour.
If thou intendst to doe the thinges is good, or to thy neede:
With diligence and payne prouide therein for to proceede.
[Page 36]But if thou dost determine ought that doth encline to yll:
Zenocra tes.
Then be as swifte for to suppresse the same and conquer will.
¶ Of Loue.
As Ivie alwayes some what findes wherto himselfe should cleaue:
So loue hath alwayes seruaunts good
Plato.
which loue do neuer leaue.
¶ Of sober demeanor.
It is most requisite for man to shewe a sober face:
And maners in the sight of youthes that they may learne his grace.
And in the sight of auncient men
Plato.
to vse himselfe likewise:
That he may know and learne of them the things that they deuise.
¶ Of Flatery.
It is [...] poynt of slatery in presence for to prayse.
Seneca.
A man, and great vnsemelines for to reuoke his phrayse.
Of wrath.
The man maye best from wrath or yre his raging heart refrayne:
[Page]Which thinkes how God beholdes him
Soerates
well and doth his pride disdayne.
¶ Of Wine.
Like as with water Mault is made to haue a sauour sweete:
So wine with measure to make glad
Hermes:
the senses is most meete.
¶ Of the tongue.
The tongue of man wel vsd is good, the most commodious thinge
That man may haue, wherby procedes the fauour of the kinge.
Legmon.
But if abusd the same, more yll, more pestilent and vyle,
And poyseuous is then any harme that workes the wealths exyle.
¶ Of speach.
It is great wisedome for a man in speach to be aduised:
Socrat.
Least after many wordes disperst his sayings be dispysed.
¶ Of a Lyar.
Tis meete the foolish felowship of lyars to eschew:
But needefull more we credite not
Hermes
the same nor them ensue.
¶ Of a fooles secrete.
Euen as a cleere and perfecte glasse
Aristot.
can hide nothing apeares
Before the same: so fooles can kepe no secrete close of theirs.
¶ Of pleasures.
Temperance is an vtter foe to lust and lustes despight:
Aristot.
And lust is wayghting seruant to each pleasure and delight.
¶ Of the Flatterer.
Euen as the shadow followes stil a man in euery place:
Plutarch
So doth a Sicophant the like with his dissembling face.
¶ Of Fortune.
The propertie of Fortune is so cruell fierce and fel:
That she will punish them who most doo seeme to serue hir well.
And she beguyleth euery man,
Marcus aure:
but none beg [...]leth her:
And she will promise much and yet the time will still deferre.
Hir songe is weeping, and hir teares is laughter both to dead:
[Page]And them aliue and both alike she serueth in their neede.
And spurneth them that present be the absent threatning sore:
A wise man shonnes hir, but a foole will care for hir the more.
¶ Of the couetous man.
Like as a dogge deuoureth all is giuen to him in hast:
And greedely doth gape for more
Aristot.
and eates it vp as fast.
So likewise doth the couetous when hee by chaunce doth get
A pray: abound therby, the more in greedines as great.
¶ Of diligence.
Nothing doth soner purchase store or sets the heart at ease:
Aristot:
In quiete state then diligence which trauell doth apease.
¶ Of happines.
He is not happy that aboundes in riches or in store:
Seneca.
But he which well doth vse the same that man is happy more.
¶ Of sure liuing.
[Page 38]The little goodes or pouerty
Isocrates
that is with suerty kept:
Is better much then riches which with dreade and feare be rept.
¶ Of the knowledge of our selues.
It is a poynt of folly great that thou shouldst rightly showe:
Marcus aure:
Of other men and of their faultes, and not thy selfe to knowe.
¶ Of wise mens fore knowledge.
A foole may well perceaue the things the which concluded be:
Cicero.
But wise men of the things to come as plainly iudge and see.
¶ Of deffe and blinde men.
Such men as deffe or blind are borne more pure and perfect haue
Mar: au:
Their inward powers, because their sence of pleasures least do craue.
Of vnsaciate desire
Tis very rare and seldome seene
Alex­seue.
where honor doth encrease:
Or riches doo abounde or flow that auarice there can sease.
¶ Of laysure.
[Page]The tract of time or laysure doth ingender perfect skill:
Aristot:
And prudence and experience both of the wit and will.
¶ Of aduisement.
The man doth seldome fall or slip which feareth for to fall:
Marcus aure.
Because in euery steppe, he takes aduisement there withall.
¶ Of vayne men.
Uayne men be knowne by vttrance of their wordes, which likewise vayne
Thales.
Doo vainly shew the vayne delightes their foolish hartes retayne.
¶ Wherto man is made.
By natures crafte we are not taught as though that we were made
Cicero.
To solace, but to grauitie if it be wisely wayde.
¶ Of forecast.
Like as a stroke well spyed, may be receaued with better ease:
Aristot:
So he that doth forecast his harmes his troubles may appease.
¶ Of our life and death.
[Page 39]Mankinde from whence we take our breath so wicked is and yll:
And eke the world wherin we liue so full of rainging will:
And last the glyding serpent which impoysned Fortune hight:
Doth with hir feete and nayles & teeth, so kicke and scratch and bite.
Mar: au:
That nothing is more amorous or plesaunt to the hart:
Of wise men, then to die in God and from this worlde departe.
¶ Of Correction.
Correction done with gentlenes doth easely perswade:
But with extreamenes moues yll wil,
Seneca.
the stomake to inuade.
¶ Of a King.
A king should be of corage good, and of a curteous hart:
And free, and with great payne deuise to execute his parte.
And should refrayn himselfe frō wrath
Plutarch
and bridell him from ire:
But should with measure vse it, where occasion doth require.
[Page]And if it chaunceth that his force or fortune do decay:
Yet should his corage still encrease and not to weare away.
¶ Of shame.
It is a shame for any man to honor to attayne:
Anacar:
By birth, and not desarue the same by good and vertuous payne.
¶ Of secretes.
The man is wise which can refrayne and kepe his secretes close:
But he a foole who doth his trust
Seneca▪
to euery man depose.
¶ Of Counsell.
For diuers seruices a man may make a meete rewarde:
But for good counsell giuen to him
Mar: au:
the same is very harde.
¶ Of the Lawe.
The prince that makes his realm to be a subiect to his lawe:
Doth raigne in peace bicause he makes his people liue in awe.
Iustinian
But he that doth reiect his lawes from out his realme, doth cast
[Page 40]Himselfe from out his seate therwith and all thinges bringes to waste.
¶ Of all Iniuries.
By two peruerse and wrongful wayes all iniuries be wrought:
Whether they be retaynde by force or els by wronge are sought.
The one is by witholding that
Pithago:
which is anothers right:
The other by extorting ought which is an open spight.
¶ If thou the truth of any thing wouldst very fayne descry:
Socrates.
Giue little credite to thine eare but trust vnto thine eye.
¶ Of the wrathfull.
The man that is a slaue to wrath or bondeman to his yre:
Hath neyther power to rule his witt
Socrates.
nor bridle his desire,
¶ Of early risinge.
To rise from sluggish sleepe betimes and longe there from to stay:
Plato.
Maintaynes the health of man, the wit and senses from decay.
¶ Of Wisedome.
[Page]Wisedome is the perfect skill of matters be deuine:
Aristot:
As also knowledge of the thinges that nature doth assigne
¶ Of honest liuing.
That man of honor doth desarue and worship most his part:
And liueth most aright in earth and best imployes his hart.
Which hath a conscience vncorrupt and feareth God aright:
Mar: au:
And is a freende vnto his freende, and beares his foe no spight.
And temperate is of wordes & works not couetous of fame:
And in his person restfull is such man deserues no blame.
¶ Of a whore.
A fayre whore sweete poyson is
Chilon.
which by hir priuy watch:
The simplenes of foolish men
Mar: au:
with subtill guile doth catch.
¶ Of Obedience.
The wicked man obayes for dreade the good for perfect loue:
Aristot
[Page 41]Whose true obedience firmely standes and neuer doth remoue.
¶ Of trouble.
Euen as the mariner by course exspectes for storme and winde
After calme weather, so likewise the prosprous quiete minde
Should after ease, misdoubt the more
Plut.
his troubles to ensue:
Thus doing, after such mishap his comforte may renew.
¶ Of womens wrath.
The serpents head most subtill is and wicked, but the yre
Iesussy.
Of women, passeth euery wrath that burnes in furies fier.
¶ Of the learned vertuous man.
The man which learning hath adioynd with vertue seemeth pure
Plato.
And perfect cleane and excellent and constant firme and sure.
¶ Of Sciences.
Like as the little bees doo sucke the flowres that be most sweete:
Plato.
So men should those of sciences the science is moste meete.
Of womens counsell.
No man more ignorant doth seeme or foolish is then he:
Socrates
Who by a womans counsell seekes aduised for to be.
How to liue well.
If thou wouldst moue thy wicked fleshe to liue in godly plight:
Then let thy minde consider these and iudge of them a right.
Howe painfull the rewarde of sinne
Plato.
is after this thy life:
Howe vayne and frustrate is the world repleate with vering strife.
How briefe and short it is, how fonde the pleasures of the same:
And how inuirond of thy foes thou art, which seeke thy shame.
And last how death vncertainly by diuers wayes doth watch:
How that in priuie sodayne time vnwares he may thee catch.
Of a vertuous heart.
Like as a precious stone doth shine
Plato.
and glitter in a ring:
[Page 42]So doth a heart in vertue set excell each other thing.
¶ Of our corrupt nature.
We vertue much desire to haue
Marcus aureli.
but yet our workes intende
To vice, and wickednes, and yll: and to no other ende.
¶ Of measure in speach.
The prudent man demaunded of
Proteg.
a question, aunsweres small:
The foolish man without remorse doth prate and babbell all.
¶ Of our state.
As sone as man is borne on earth the same for to possesse:
Marcus aure.
Death likewise issueth therwithall his life for to suppresse.
¶ Of freendes duetyes.
Freendes ought to be like horses good and haue a little head:
By humble conuersation for scorne must cleane be fled.
Marcus aure.
And quicke of hearing to the ende they may obey the call:
And soft of mouth bicause their tongs should neuer slippe nor fall.
[Page]And harde of hoofe that they may beare great trauayle to sustayne:
And sure of foote they may not start for labor nor for payne.
And of a colour bay that they may winne renowne and fame:
And so should friends imploy thē selues their loue and liues to frame.
¶ Of Charitie.
Charitie is a good effect or passion of the minde:
Wherby the heart of man estemes such thinges as be assignde.
Hermes
For the perseuerance of the feare and loue of God before
The valure of each worldly thing or heapes of earthly store.
¶ Of vayne benefites.
The man which to the wilfull foole doth study to do good:
Shall gayne as much as if he gaue a strangers dogge his foode.
Socrates
The which will barke and bite aswell the feeder as the rest:
Although he giue him of his meate the daintyest and the best.
¶ Of a nigardes almes.
The goodnes which procedes from him which in good deedes is slowe:
Is like the herbes the which by chaunce
Hermes:
vpon a donghill growe.
¶ Of a learned prince.
Unto a common wealth or realme a learned prince or kinge:
Is happiest stay vnto the same
Aristip:
surpassing euery thinge.
¶ What is our best knowledge.
The greatest learning we can haue or perfect purest skill:
Alex: se
That we by knowledge may possesse is to vnlearne our yll.
¶ Of three incombrances.
No men more ignorant be then they that trust vnto their wittes:
None so vncertayne as the fooles
Socrates
that stande to fortunes fittes.
But none so combred or diseasde or troubled more with strife
Then he that hath, against his will a brawling wicked wife.
¶ Of death.
[Page]As kindely as it is for age to follow youthfull race:
Hermes
So after age insueth death euen in as kindely case.
Of a bewtiful foole.
A foole that is well fauored
Dioge.
or deckt with bewties cost:
Is like a pleasant house wherin doth dwell a froward host.
Of feare fulnes or timorosity.
Ne strength ne bignes doth preuayle in him that fearefull is:
Plut.
And therfore each thing he attempts by force must fare amis.
¶ Of vertue and vice.
Like as the sight or cleane prospect or clearenes of the eye:
Can not at once both things aboue
Hermes
and thinges beneath descry.
Euen so the heart with all his payne his knowledge and his skill:
Can not at once apply himselfe both vnto good and yll.
¶ Of perfect good.
Of all such store or riches as by right we goodes do call:
[Page 44]The vertues of the soule be best
Pithago
and richest goodes of all.
¶ Of the wearines of nature.
There is no thing so perfect good so pure or perfect wise:
But tract of time doth cause vs loath and vtterly dispise.
Hermes:
For such is foolishnes of man that that which most he may:
He least estemes, but that which least he holdeth for a pray.
¶ Of abstinence.
As men be wary to receaue and dainty for to take
Unholesome meates, least that their health
Socrates
of body should a slake.
So likewise should they warily from vice and sinne abstayne:
That they therby may likewise shunne the soules eternall payne.
¶ Howe to see and perseaue folly in a man.
As when a foggy miste doth hide the fayre and pleasant beames
Of Titans bewty, and obscures the skies with pitchy streames.
[Page]Each forme therin more greater semes
Socrates
and fuller doth appeare:
Then when such foulnes worne away the skyes be cleane and cleare.
So likewise vice that setled is and nos [...]ed in the heart:
Is most perceued in ougly wrath when fury playes his parte.
Of the lazy life.
The lingring lazy life wherin to much of ease dependes:
Aristot.
Is most vnready to forbear [...] when fortune backward bendes.
How to make of foos freendes.
Either with meekenes ouercome the man which thou hast made
Plato.
Thy foe, or els with benefites his enuy ouer lade.
How to disclose our secreats.
To such as well thou knowst with ease thou mayst thy trust repose:
Zenopho
But to the man to thee vnknowne no secreate do disclose.
How to trust.
To try and then to trust thou mayst in trusting thinke thee sure:
[Page 45]But first to trust before to try
Dioge.
repentance will procure.
Of pryde.
Of young men pride should be eschewd of olde men pride disdaynde:
Alex­seue.
And last of all men pride suspect and carefully restayned.
Of the eyes offence.
The eye could neuer once offende if ruled by the minde
Cicero.
it were, but deale aright in that which du [...]ty hath assignde.
Of fruitles labor.
Attempt not diuers thinges at once for they will all decay:
Thesille.
Through disagrement of themselues and thou shalt haue no stay.
Of deliberate speaking.
First thinke, then speake, & last fulfill,
Let wordes be rulde by thought:
Zenopho:
And after wordes imploy thy will that promise may be wrought.
Of worldly pleasures.
The worldly man that seekes for fonde
Hermes [...]
and worldly vayne delight:
[Page]Doth hunt a shadow which is sone disperst and out of sight.
¶ Of aduice in all things.
The man which wisely takes aduice in euery worke or deede:
Titus li [...]ius.
Shall neuer liue for to repent nor to bewayle his neede.
¶ Of wittes exercise.
As brasse or steele do glister more in bewty of their kinde:
The more that they be worne, & more to brightnes are inclynde.
Plato.
So wittes which exercised be and practysde with good vse:
Are taught the more to goodnes, and are kepte from yll abuse.
¶ Of malice.
As he that wounded is doth liue in great disease and payne.
So likewise he is sicke in soule
Hermes.
who malice beares in brayne.
¶ Of reason and knowledge.
Like as a captayne rules his hoste deuoyde of any strife:
Plato.
So reason knit with knowledge leades and guides the happy life.
¶ Of wisedome.
Euen as a plough doth roote the thorns and thistles from the ground:
Hermes▪
So wisedome purgeth euery place where vice doth most abounde.
¶ Of Golde.
As by the touchstone golde is tryde so man is tryde by golde:
Pitthago
The which directly doth his price and valure well vnfolde.
¶ Of aduancement.
By nature all men equall be by fortune some aduaunst:
And some supprest, let him therfore whom fortune hath enhaunst
In his supremicy beware
[...].
and wisely be aduysde:
Least that in midst of lofty fate his fortune be dispysde▪
For who by fortunes fauor gettes to liue in happy plight:
By fortunes anger is addict to purchase fortunes spight.
¶ Of hope and life.
Hope is in life and life must die which hope must thinke vppon:
[Page]In life, for when the life is past
Iustin.
the hope is also gone.
¶ Of knowledge.
That realme in pouerty doth liu [...] in famine and in dearth:
Socrates
Wheras intelligence is scant the king of heauen and earth.
¶ Of a vicious man.
Like as one braunch of any tree if it be sette on fier:
Will kindle all the rest therof presuming to the hier.
Socrates
Euen so one wicked man with vice corrupted▪ will defile
A great conuent except he sone be put vnto exile.
¶ Of Enuy.
The greatest poyson of despight and enuy most is owde:
Seneca
To those on whome the benefites of fortune are bestowed.
¶ Of wine and women.
That man the which in women hath and wine his chefe delight:
Chilen.
Can neither store possesse, nor helth, nor witt, nor manly might.
¶ Of foresight.
To see it is a common thinge which most men doe retayne:
Zenopho.
But to foresee a seldome thing which sight is in the brayne.
Of superfluous praters.
As empty vessels lowdest sounde and make the greatest noyse:
Socrat.
So simple wittes do most abounde to prate with lowdest voyce.
Of enuious men.
Euen as a sicke man healed is and cured of his sore:
By vertue of the medcine good
Socrat.
which phisicke doth restore.
Likewise of enuious men the whot and great consuming rage:
Good lawes with remedy do serue seuerely to asswage.
Of hasty attemptes.
The greatest foolishnes in men which is the greatest faulte:
Socrat.
Is hastely without remorse His doings to assaulte.
Of thinges surpassing our capasitie.
[Page]It is a folly for a man and thinge exceding vayne:
Protege.
In waighty matters which surpasss his witt, to vse his payne.
¶ Of the greatest shame.
Of all reproch or infamy it is the greatest shame:
An olde man for to be vnlearnde
Socrat.
which most deserueth blame.
¶ Of a foole.
A brutish beast more better is vnto a common welth:
Then is a foole, whose simple witte can further no mans health.
Mar: au▪
For Oren labor on the earth and Asses serue our neede:
But fooles deuoyde of fruitfull sense can do no such good deede.
¶ Of tender age.
What thing a man in tender youth hath practised in vre:
He shal retayne the very same in age till death be sure.
Who therfore in his age would fayne
Euripi des.
be glad good fruites to mowe:
[Page 48]Must in his youth apply himselfe good holesome seedes to sowe.
¶ Of Death.
Death is a thing which no mans wit can compasse to eschew:
Pithago.
And therfore should the lesse be feard because the same is trew.
¶ Of Sorowe.
Sorowe to solitarines is Cosin and the heire
Mar: au▪
To vtter desolation and comfortles dispayre.
¶ Of a sad countenance.
A greuous countenance doth bewraye the sorowes of the heart:
Socrat.
And shewes the sprite to be inwrapt in griefe and inward smart.
¶ Of Obedience.
Of euery qualitie the which commoditie doth bringe:
Hermes.
Obedience sonest loue obtaynes before each other thinge.
¶ Of Charitie.
As fier is an instrument which many thinges inuade:
[Page]Before they can receiue their ende or thoroughly be made.
So charitie determines still the trueth of euery deede:
That ther without no honest worke or thought may once proceede.
Of the tongue or wordes.
By the disposing of the tongue there is a tryall true:
To knowe how the disposer can
Socrat.
his fleshly lustes subdue.
For he that can not brydell wordes according as he lyst:
Hath much lesse power to bridle lustes or appetites resist.
Of contented riches.
He is not rich which hath great store but he which is content:
Socrat.
Whose state de [...]ayeth not although his riches cleane be spent.
Of good aduice.
As a phisition can not cure
Hermes.
nor heale his pacients sore:
Except the cause of his disease he throughly knowe before.
[Page 49]So can no man imparte aduice or counsell well to thee:
Except the full of thy complaynt he do peruse and see.
¶ Of worldly care.
He is not wise which wel doth knowe this world he must depart:
Pithago
And yet to worldly thinges imployes his care and paynfull hart.
¶ Of the worldes misery.
In this same vale of misers, none can perfect rest attayne:
Nor yet enioy though he haue reapt
Seneca.
the profites of his payne.
¶ Of a kinges duety, written by Claudianus a famous Poete.
Though that thy power and prowes stretch vnto the world his ende:
And through at large in euery place and prouince do extende.
And though thou rulest the heuy charge
Seneca.
of rich Arabias might:
Of Seres, Medea, and the rest and hast in Indea right.
[Page]If feare thy honor interrupt or small things thee offende:
Or to desire which is corrupt thy fansy do intende.
Thou art in bondage as a slaue thy honor then doth fall:
Thy glory and fame suppressed is and cleane defaced all.
And thou shalt rightly be esteemd as worthy for to reigne:
When thou art ruler of thy selfe and flyest all disdayne.
For euill custome had in vre doth bring in filthy vse:
That vertue cleane refused is and brought into abuse.
And wanton licence doth intende great folly to allure:
And still pursuite of wanton sectes doth want only procure.
Set not thy fansy therfore still to liue in great delight:
Least that thy foolishnes of will do worke thee further spight.
And if that lust or hasty wrath thy stomake do assayle:
[Page 50]Subdne occasion, which subdewd thy selfe shall then preuayle.
What thou maist do craue not to know but what becomes thee best:
Keepe corage, lowe, & alwayes thinke that measure is a feaste:
Lue well thy subiects and prouide the meanest to maintayne:
Deuise thy welth and let them all Be partners of thy gayne.
Be not addict to parcialnes except it do pretende
Thy whole estate of commons all and people to defende.
For by ensample of thy selfe they be informed all:
And both in vertue and in vice with thee they ryse and fall.
For lawes and statutes haue no force nor any thing preuayle:
But as a ball the people turne which euery way doth faile.
And if the ruler in his life and liuing be not stable:
Both law and counsel sone are changde and turnde into a fable.
¶ Of meeke witted men.
It is a seldome thing to finde though labor longe do seeke:
Hermes.
A man that doth abounde in witte and therwithall is meeke.
¶ How to knowe a wise man.
A wiseman well may be discernde by slacknes vnto ire:
And by refrayning of his will and brideling his desire.
Seneca.
And by the little pride that he conceaueth of the fame:
Or good report referde to him though he deserue the same.
¶ Of honor and riches.
Riches moues a wanton will and lecherousnes prouokes:
Dioge.
And honor, worship and renowne, of malice be the clokes.
¶ Of a good law.
A law well made with good aduise is a most happy thing:
Socrates
A standerd staying right and truth and an immortall king.
¶ Of the proofe of good counsell.
[Page 51]The man which counsels other well vnto himselfe doth gayne
A good reporte and pleasaunt prayse
Isocrat▪
for such his happy payne.
¶ Of well doing.
If thou wouldst labor to do well
Marcus aure.
indeuour to do so:
As thou therfore mayst spighted be of him that is thy foe.
¶ Of Ignorance.
The man that knowes not what he seekes in seeking that is scant:
Socrat.
Can neuer know to finde the thinges the which his case doth want.
¶ Of euill life.
The man deserues not for to liue whose life doth not intende:
Dioge.
To seeke for vertue and prouide his vice for to amende.
¶ Of learning and knowledge.
The gayne of knowledge & the proofe
Alex­seue.
of cunning still doth stay:
When substance fayles and goodes de­crease and fortune flytes away.
¶ Of scornefull men.
[Page]A scornefull man can nere be good or perfect faithfull freende:
Marcus aureli.
But wauering still prouokt by pride as time will proue in ende.
¶ Of Libertie.
Where libertie doth ouerflow tis hard the heart to tame:
But that affection will be bolde
Aristot:
for to inure the same.
Prouide therfore to brydle will and appetite in time:
Least after custome thou be backte and nos [...]ed in thy crime.
¶ Of frendship.
A man may many freendes retayne
Pitthago
and louers not haue scant:
And yet when cause doth rayse a proofe he shall of frendship want.
¶ Of discorde.
Euen as a little sparke of fire proceedes to greater light:
Plato.
If it approch to place where winde recouereth vp his might.
So discorde secreatly begon perseuering more and more:
[Page 52]Will at the last appeare in syght though it was hid before.
¶ Of concorde.
That realme or place which is addornd with concorde and with peace,
Pithago
By force must prosper and smal things do growe to great in crease:
But where these two abandond bee ther doth abound decaye,
And great and myghtie matters melt and vanishe cleane awaye.
¶ Of frequenting thy frendes house.
Haunt not to much thy kinsmans house for that doth hatred moue,
Nor tary not to longe from thense
Aristip
for that suspectes thy loue:
But vse a meane therin and so thou frendshipp shall maintaine
For it is good for to receaue, but not in croche a gayne.
¶ Of vowes.
Make litle vowes but if a cause compell thee vowes to frame:
Pomp [...]y [...]s.
With ernest diligence prouide for to performue the same.
¶ Of superfluous curiositie.
Be swift for to subdue the vice thy stomake doth assaulte:
Plato.
But slow to seeke and vnderstande or search of others faulte.
¶ Of good and yll.
There is but one especiall way that doth to goodnes leade:
Hermes
To yll a thousand pathes pertayne which inconuenience breed.
¶ Of the diuersitie of disceites.
As diuers poysons disagree in practise and in vre:
So much that one can well suffise the other for to cure.
Seneca▪
So likewise vices and disceites in their effect discent:
And be as diuers to defraude and diuersly be spent.
¶ How to purchase fame.
If that thou seekest to obtayne a good report or fame:
Thou must attēpt such vertuous deeds
Pitthago
as may deserue the same.
And if thou knowst a man hath got as worthy great disprayse:
[Page 53]To get thy selfe a better name thou must auoyde his wayes.
¶ Of an euyll wife.
None is so perilous a foe which fiersly maintaynes strife:
Mar: au:
Unto a man, then is a shrew or els an euill wife.
¶ What best becomes a woman.
The needefulst vertues that behoues a woman to retayne:
Is for to brydle raging lust
Hermes▪
and tikkle tongue refrayne.
¶ Of gentlenes.
The man that vseth gentlenes
Aristot:
in his superiour state:
Can neuer reape an yll reporte nor shame, nor purchase hate.
¶ How te instruct youth.
Like as the men which bring vp coltes and wanton horses tame:
Unto the bit and bridle firste
Seneca▪
do chiefly trayne the same.
So they that youth instruct must first if they would haue them broken:
Teach them to moderate their tongue and leaue their eares wyde open.
¶ Of well doinge.
As thou wouldst other men to woorke thy welth and not thy payne
Alex: se
So do to them, and deale aryght with other men agayne.
¶ Of Wyne.
By wyne the beautie is defaste and age deformed more,
Isocrat.
And that forgot which crste was had and kept with warie store.
¶ Of a licentious tonge.
A tonge the whiche of wickednes doth babble out his fill:
Plato.
Is a sustayner of the lust, and norisher of will.
¶ Of goods ill gotten.
The treasures which a man by fraude and falsehode doth augment,
By suche collusion ill are got
Hermes.
and worser are they spente:
Who therfore to be ryche in store doth purpose and intende,
Ought trewlie riches for to wynne and dewlye them to spende.
Of foule language.
[Page 54]The man which is of beutie full And vtters fylthie breath,
Aris [...]ip:
Doth drawe aswoorde compact of lead, out of an yuerie sheath.
¶ Of Lust.
yf thou wouldst think of man how much his nature doth excell,
Supposing thus thou shouldst perceaue
Cicero.
and vnderstande it well:
How muche vnnaturall it is for man for to abuse
Him selfe by lust, and howe deuine the same for to refuse.
¶ Of a fooles good fortune.
Ther can not bee a thing which man may suffer more with payne,
Or matter harder to forbeare
Socrat.
or lesser to sustaine:
Then for to see a foole aduaunst or sit in hie estate,
Whom foolishe fortune hath inhaunste to vndeserued fate.
¶ Of the pleasure in monie.
It is a pleasure perrilous whiche woorketh heauie spight.
[Page]For man to pleasure in his goodes or money to delight.
Plutarch
For none is in a surer state or hath lesse cause to craue:
Then the contented whom it doth suffise the least to haue.
¶ Of man and money.
It is a better thing for man of money for to want:
Pithago.
Then that the money should abonnd and that the man be scant.
¶ Of the ende.
The ende of euery thing is proofe and tryall of the same:
And the beginning must forecast the things a man would frame.
Socrat.
If therfore thou woldst haue thy works to grow to fruitfull ende:
Thou must begin with willing heart the things thou dost pretende.
For the beginning is the chiefe wherto thy wisest payne
Must be referd, but styll the ende is hardest to attayne.
¶ Of aucthoritie.
[Page 55]Desyre not with hawty minde to rule and beare a sway:
Pithago:
Before thou learned hast the skill and cunning to obey.
¶ Of time.
The man that trusteth vnto tyme is ere beguiled still:
Seneca.
Let therfore no time passe to farre but guide it by thy will.
¶ Of a dissembler.
The moths corrupt y • clothes, & worms with canker pearce the bone:
But one dissembler may beguyle
Mar: au:
the totall world alone.
¶ Of aduisement.
To take aduisement is a good
Alex: se
and requisite delay:
Whch maintaines profite & preserues indeuours from decay.
¶ Of the body.
The fairest body liues in earth if it be wayde aright:
Cicero.
Is nothing but a donghill clad with colours of delight.
¶ Of counterfeyt things or fraude.
[Page]No thinge which counterfaited is illusion so can faine,
But to his proper substance will in ende returne againe:
Aulus gel [...]sus.
Doo therfore nothinge with disceyte nor by dissemblynge trade,
Least y • when time bewrayes, the same vnto thy blame be made.
¶ Of a Souldiers dewtye.
It dethe behoue a Souldier beste in batayle or in fyghte,
That he do truste more to his wytte
Zenoph.
and pollisye then mighte,
For wytte in scyrmyshe proffits fare and warres doth more preuayle,
Thē strēgth of thousands whch by forse greate dayngers maye assayle.
Of vice or wickednes.
Let nether onse thy hands to woorke nor harte nor yet thy will,
Zenophon
To thynke nor yet thy eares to here the thinge is naught and ill.
¶ Of the hartes disease.
The harte is neuer vexte so muche nor so seuerelye paynde.
[Page 56]As when by forse frome wished things
Alexse
the stomake is refraynde.
Of a frende.
A frende can nere be knoune but when occasion doth requier
Anacar.
For in thy welth eche man wyll crouch and kreepe to thy desyre.
Of ydellnes.
Ydellnes is of liuinge men a graue and dothe supplye
Anacar
The sepulcher wherin the mynde and bodye bothe do dye.
Of curiosytye.
Presume not ouermuch to checke nor curiouslie to blame,
A nother man leaste to thy selfe
Socrat.
thou purchase more defame.
Of vicious rulers.
Lyke as a broken crased shippe the which doth water drynke,
Not onlye drownes her selfe but all
Socrates.
that ar in her do synke,
And therby goodes and shippe and men ar broughe vnto decaye,
And nothinge for the forse of waues
Hermes
can get to scape awaye.
[Page]So rulers which abounde in vice as wickedly intende:
To bring themselues and subiects all to wracke and euill ende.
¶ Of man and his soule.
The most exceding thing in earth is man, that God hath made
Whose soule his chiefest riches is for all things els do vade.
By which he imitates the trueth
Hermes
and iustice doth assigne:
And is prouoked to the thinges immortall and deuine.
¶ Of worldly men.
The man that to the world is bent with him it can not fayle:
But one of these insuing things his state doth styll assayle.
Socrat.
Either displeasure of his God to purchase or obtayne:
Great spite of mightier men then he which is a fruitles gayne.
¶ Of a happy realme.
Most happy is that realme or place
Plato.
that citie or that towne:
[Page 57]Wherin a gouernour doth rule which vice suppresseth downe.
¶ Of mercy and iustice.
If that a king be mercifull his state shall prosper well:
And get him succor in his neede
Marcus aureli.
because he is not fell.
And if he iustice do frequent his state shall not decay:
But for his wisedome be beloued and beare continuall sway.
¶ Of the auncesters.
The honor of the auncesters and their deserued fame:
Mar: au
Do leaue their children after them great treasure by the same.
¶ Of freendship and iustice.
No freendship nor no iustice may be well retaynde of those:
Zenopho [...]
Betwixt whom nothing common is but be as vtter foes.
¶ Of Wisedome.
If that thou wouldst to euery thing adioyne the thing is fitte:
Thou must indeuor to adioyne
Plato.
some wisedome to thy witte.
¶ Of [...] men.
A wise man wisely must suppose and ponder so in all:
Aristot
That he may thinke his error great But wisedome very small.
¶ Of learning.
It is no shame for any man though age his yeres possesse:
[...].
To learne, or take an offred thing in neede, or in distresse.
¶ Of instruction.
Instruction giuen vnto a foole or one that is vnwise:
Protege.
Doth make him stiffer in conceyte and fonder in deuise.
¶ Of truth and error.
When error is bewrayde by time and wilfulnes discryde:
Plato.
Then doth the truth appeare the more by such a lucky tyde.
¶ Of fooles and wise men.
A foole in felowship of fooles is hardly to be showne:
Marcus aureli.
And wise in wise mens company is scantly to be knowne.
¶ Of ignorant men.
[Page 58]The boldenes which vnskilfull men retayne in their conceyt:
Socrat.
Is that which most do let their wittes and them of skyll defeate.
¶ Of feare or doubt.
There is nothing so certayne thought or counted so much sure:
Marcus aureli.
But feare in hope doth somwhat doubt the same for to procure.
¶ Of feare.
Wher feare abounds or doubt disturbs the heart, no quyet plight
Can rest therin but it abates
Mar: au
the corage and the might.
¶ Of vertue.
Except that man be wholy bent and vnto vertue prest:
Plutare
He little differs from a swine or els a brutish beast.
¶ Of good men.
Tis the property of good men not onely to be glad
At their own welth, but when the like
Socrat.
of other men is had.
¶ Of an euill lyfe.
[Page]That man doth leade an euyll life which many do bewayle:
Anaxa goras.
Reioysing at his death or harme or when his state doth fayle.
¶ It is the greatest sinne in earth for man to seeke a prayse
Marcus aureli.
By fayned vertue and deceyt, and fraude, to guide his wayes.
¶ Of goodnes and wickednes.
As to the good the goodnes is a requisite rewarde:
Hermes
So euill men, their wickednes doth seeme to punish harde.
¶ Of faythfulnes and trueth.
Be ready to reteyne the trueth and faythfulnes to holde:
Socrat.
For he that is a faythfull freende is better much then golde.
¶ Of loue.
Loue well, and louing well be bolde to seale it in thy blood:
Plato.
For vertue voyde of loue may not be pure and perfect good.
¶ Of charitie.
Charitie is of such effecte if thou it wisely scanne:
S [...]lon.
[Page 59]That ther without no mortall wight can be a perfect man.
¶ Of a liberall heart.
It is the propertie of him that hath a liberall heart
Rather to craue a good renowne
Seneca.
then mony haue his parte.
¶ Of geuing and receiuing.
If thou receiue a benefite do thankfully requite:
And seeke to giue againe to him according to thy might.
[...] li uius.
And when thou genest be content the same for to bestow:
And so in geuing shalt thou finde the gayne to thee will growe.
¶ Of a faythfull freende.
The freende that is a faithfull freende, and mindes a true pretence:
Mar: au
Is he who quickly can forget and pardon an offence.
¶ Of the wilfull man.
The man that to his wilfull wil is wilfully inclynde:
Plato.
Is likewise bound the wrath of God as vehemently to finde.
¶ Of Enuie.
Like as no shadowe can be seene in place where is no light.
Plut.
So where as wealth aboundeth not no enuie shewes dispight.
¶ Of thretninge.
It is a womans fantasie and poynte of follie great,
Pithago
For men by whot outragious woordes his enemie to threate.
¶ How to delaie spight or grudge.
The man which reasonable is and sober in request,
Pithago
May soone appease his fooes dispight, and set his hart at rest.
¶ Of warines.
A man with warines his deeds, and woorkes must wiselie vse,
Pithago
Least for his fooe hee take his friend and friend for fooe abbuse.
¶ Howe to praise.
Praise not to much least thou hast nede thie praise for to redresse,
Mar: au
Learne therfore litle for to praise but yet to dispraise lesse.
¶ Of sorowe.
There is no torment nor disease which doth so fiercely rage:
But tract of time with easy profe may make the same aswage.
Hermes
And euery griefe that doth vpbrayde a domage or a payne
By pacience well forborne, in ende will turne vnto a gayne.
¶ Of vayne glory.
It is a foolishnes of man to challenge for his parte
Dioge.
A prayse, the which to other men is due by their desart.
¶ Of the misers sorow.
No mortall more in cares is frounst and sorowes is ytost:
Mar: au
Then is the auaritious wretch when he his goodes hath lost.
¶ Of masters.
The gentlest masters commonly which gentlenes frequent:
Haue seruaunts which be contrary of nature and intent.
But sturdy masters do compel the same to bowe at becke:
[Page]And euery little winke pretendes to them a fearefull checke.
Alex: se
But if thou wouldst retayne to thee a seruant which should vse
Thee well: thou likewise must beware least thou do them abuse.
¶ Of seruaunts.
A seruaunt both in worde and deede ought onely to obaye
Socrat.
Their masters: pondring well wheron a seruaunts state doth stay.
¶ Of labor and custome.
If thou thy▪ selfe to labor and to trauell wouldst invre:
Alex: se
Thou must inforce to customes course thy stomake to allure.
¶ Of a womans duety.
A woman if she would auoyde an yll suspitious name:
Must sone be ready to conceaue of euill thinges a shame.
And in hir speach for to be slow yet temperate in hir tonge:
Alex. se
And wise of witte, and in hir deedes to offer none a wronge.
[Page 61]And sober in hir gestures all and conuersytion meeke:
And lowe of heart, but of disdayne and enuie for to seeke.
And stedfast in hir promyse made and constant in hir loue:
That nothing may distemper it or cause it to remoue.
And in correction pitifull regarding well hir life:
For these adorne the virgins state and bewtify the wife.
¶ Of thankfulnes.
It is a common needefull thing and euery bodies parte:
Alex: se
For to be gratefull to his freende and haue a thankfull hart.
¶ Of the husbande.
The best behauiour that doth moue a woman to be chaste:
Is for hir husbande to conceane
Socrat.
no ielousie in haste.
But to be true and chast himselfe and constant in his minde:
And by example all these things in hir shalbe assignoe.
¶ Of good and wise men.
That man may well be counted good and be estemed wise:
Who doth reforme his wanton tongue
Plato.
vnto his good deuise.
¶ Of silence.
By silence the discretion of the silent, thou mayst deme,
Pithago.
And silence vsed in a foole doth make him witty seeme.
¶ Of flattery.
Nether indeuor to insue a flatterer for to be:
Seneca.
Nor that thy selfe be not abusde by flattry likewise see.
¶ f scorne.
Scorne not another man for that he falleth to decay:
Or doth sustayne vnhappy chaunce when fortune flittes away.
Cicero.
But take thou hede by his mishap to fall in like anoy:
That thou by his vnlucky fall may maintayne more thy ioy.
¶ Of hawty mindes.
[Page 62]The hauty mindes that do ascende alofte to seeke renowne:
Plato.
Are most by fortune ouerthrowne and cleane suppressed downe.
¶ Of dronkennes.
To vew the foule defaced forme of dronkerds beastly vse:
Anacar.
Is rediest meanes for to allure the minde from such abuse.
¶ Of couetousnes.
Like as a member which is vexte with itch or such disease:
Hath alwayes neede for to be clawde
Plutarch
the itching to appease.
Euen so the minde with auarice infected and molest:
Except it still receaue a gayne is neuer at his rest.
¶ Of death.
Death to the sorowfull is life
Seneca.
and to the welthy greefe:
And yet to euery man by fayth it is a good releefe.
¶ Of instruction.
Thou oughst as much for to esteme the man that teacheth thee
[Page] [...] worde of wisedome, as the man
Hom [...]:
promoting thy degree.
¶ Of expences.
Expences small frequented much bring pouertie in hast:
Learne therfore warely to spend [...]
Seneca.
but nothing for to wast.
¶ Of substance.
The greater welth a man retaynes of substance or of store:
Pitthago
The lesse assured is his state but the vncertaine more.
¶ Of tryall.
Indeuor for to try thy frendes before thou art in neede:
Thales.
And so therafter to dispose through tryall such thy deede.
¶ Of dissembling.
Deuise not for to seeke thy selfe the same for to pretende:
To which occasion may approue
Thales
the contrary in ende.
¶ Of freendlines.
If thou wouldst get a proppe to thee
Cliobi­lus.
or gayne thy life a stay:
[Page 63]Thou must be ready for to helpe another in decay:
¶ Of importunatenes.
Be not importunate for ought thy fancy may not get:
Chilon.
Nor let thy witte nor power assault the matters be to great.
¶ Of mortall vexation.
All thinges which mortall men desire by payne they are attaynde:
And with great care when they are got they like wise are refraynde:
But when occasion doth commaunde
Cicero.
they should therfore depart:
Then is the greatest sorest griefe and dolor in the heart.
¶ Of good fame,
A worthy fame so splendant is and bewtifull of light:
Ptolome.
That though in darknes it bedrownde it can not leese his might.
Of learning.
Learning is vnto the good a guider of his will:
Gelasius.
But to the wicked as a spurre prouoking him to yll.
¶ Of the tongue and the heart.
It is a common thing that when the stomake well is pleasde:
The tong doth labor more then thought wherby the heart is easde.
Marcus aure.
But when the heart in heauy plight some sorow doth sustayne:
The tongue can not expresse the care which lyeth in the brayne.
¶ Of the apparell and speach.
If that in silke or sattines fine or golden braue aray:
Thou decked art, deuise thy speach to beare as equall sway.
For eyther thou shouldst frame thy wordes
Pithago
according to thy guise:
Or els thy garments to thy wordes thou equall must deuise.
¶ Of superfluous talke.
Euen as a vessell neuer can be full if it do leake:
Or doth run out but still decayes and more and more doth breake.
Seneca.
So such as prate and babbell still and neuer do giue eare:
[Page 64]Can neuer wisedome learne because they neuer seeke to heare.
¶ Of slaunder and flattery.
Of slaundrers wel beware, and see thou flattrers do dispise:
If to thy selfe thou purchase would
Dioge.
to be accompted wise.
For neither tamed beast nor brute nor beaste of sauage kinde:
Do bite so niely, as this same doth pinch and payne the minde.
Whose clawes so teare and rankell all
Theo frast.
they do attayne to touch
That better is it to be torne of beastes then caught of such.
¶ Of the couetous man.
Such men as miserly do liue to die it is there best:
Because the longer that they liue the lesser is their rest.
Seneca.
For life doth leade the couetous their substance to encrease:
But death dischargeth them of care and lets them lye in peace.
¶ Of foresight.
[Page]It is the parte of him that seekes to be accompted wise:
That he foresee his workes wyth good
Plato.
and diligent aduise.
And when as thinges in aduerse fate vnluckely do frame:
It doth become the valiant well for to forbeare the same.
¶ Of an enemy.
Beware of foes, when they with glose declare a flattring face:
For then he most doth seeke thy harme in such a fayning case.
For serpents neuer byte so sore
Pithago
nor poysenously so sting:
As when by softe and secreate sorte they bite before they singe.
¶ Of the feare of death.
Wisedome by grace doth cause the hartes of all men to dispise
Hermes.
The feare of death: for therwithout no mortall can be wyse.
¶ Of Death.
Thou oughtst for to perswade thy selfe that death is all mens hyre:
Socrates.
[Page 65]But yet no man can die so ofte as some men do desire.
¶ Of the feare of God.
The feare of God so needeful is of each to be retaynde:
That therwithout no man is iust
Iesussy.
nor vice can be refraynde.
¶ Of life and vertue.
The lesser time to lyue, a man enioyes: the greater care
He ought to haue, for to deuise
Dioge.
his vertue to declare.
¶ Of feare.
It is his best whom many feare he many feare agayne:
Least lacke of feare be sometime cause
Aristip [...]
he do incurre a payne.
¶ Of reprouing.
It is a great vertue and a thing which each man doth behoue:
Thales
[...] those faultes himselfe wherin he other doth reproue.
¶ Of the vncertainty of time.
If thou determyne for to do
Pithago.
some good, do not delay
[Page]Tyll morow next, thou little knowst what thing may chaunce to day.
¶ Of sinne.
Sinne plucks thy soule from God by force and therfore greatly feare
Anacha
To sinne: because thy soule the shape of God should rightly beare.
¶ Of a hard thing.
It is the hardest thing in earth another for to tame.
The man that frounsed in his sinne is nos [...]ed in the same.
¶ Of a vayne thing.
To be inquisitiue of that which nought doth appertayne
Unto thy selfe, doth wel descry
Hermes.
that thou art very vayne.
¶ Of wilfull will.
What doth it profite thee though thou an expert tongue possesse:
Or sense that rightly vnderstandes and rightly can expresse.
Marcus aure.
Or liuely witte or memory, or perfect knowledge haue:
Or science voyde of ignorance with all that thou canst craue.
[Page 66]Or pleasant stile and clo [...]uence with euery matters skill:
If ther withall thou do retayne a wicked wilful will.
¶ Of a misery.
If they be miserable men which serue a cruell lorde:
From whom in time they may depart though not with his accorde.
Aristot
How much more wretched misers they which serue their vice and sinne:
From whom they cannot start nor flie, but fastned are therein.
¶ Of good deedes done to the wicked.
The man that riches doth bestow vppon a wicked wight:
Plutar
Doth geue a sicke man store of wine which workes him further syight.
¶ Of foolish ioyes.
It is a signe of corage weake when man doth hunt the ioy:
The which in ende and tract of time
Pithago
doth turne to his annoy.
¶ Of natures workes.
No witte is able to douise to make the matter straight:
Alex. se
[Page]Which nature with deformednes
Alex. se
and crokednes doth frayght.
¶ Wherin honor consisteth.
The right of honor in the welth of worship doth not rest:
Marcus aureli.
But in the merites which deserue the same to be encreast.
¶ Of counsell taking.
Though great abundance of thine ease and welth thy state supply:
Cicero.
Yet counsell profred vnto thee in nowise do deny.
¶ Of riches left to a waster.
Like as an arrow which doth light vppon a stone by chaunce:
Because the stone doth softnes want is forst therfrom to glannce.
Euen so the riches giuen to him which wanteth wary witte:
To rule the same, is geuen in vayne
Socrat.
and is a gifte vnfitte.
For by his necligence his store can take no tacke nor stay:
But by consumption is disperst and brought vnto decay.
¶ Of the force of riches.
Euen as a golden, brydle set with perle or precious stone:
Doth serue to garnish euery horse it is bestowde vpon.
But cannot make the horse to be
Plato.
of any better kinde:
Or corage, then if no such cost vppon him were assignde.
So riches giuen vnto a man do bewtify his fate:
But haue no power to make him good or better in his state.
¶ Of constant loue.
That loue is constant firme and sure,
Mar: au
wheras two bodyes be
But one especiall louing heart which ioyntly doth agree.
¶ Of giftes well imployed.
A liberall gifte imployed well doth yelde the giuer gayne:
Aristot:
But he that giues without remorse doth reape his proper payne.
¶ Of corrupt customes.
Whereas the customes be rorrupt there libertie should cease:
Mar: au
[Page]For lewdnes vsed ouermuch abuseth freendly peace.
¶ Of wyll.
Though wyll be bridled wyth a corde and tamed wyth a whip:
Alex se
Yet wyll indeuors what he can out of his yoke to slippe.
¶ Of a freende.
Admit no stranger for thy freende
Aristot.
and warily eschew
The man vnknowne, for feare of that which therof may ensewe.
¶ Of anger.
Though anger nere so much a while wyth foolyshnes do rage:
Plato.
Yet easy tyde in tract of time doth clearely it asswage.
¶ Of wrath.
And yet though wrath is stayd, y • shame
I Socrat
therof wyll neuer cease:
For wrath, reuenge, and angers thrall, do leade it in a lease.
[...] uius.
¶ Of spight and enuy.
It is vnpossible for spight or enuy gayne to finde:
[Page 68]For spight is clokt before the eyes and enuy cleane is blynde.
¶ Of malicious wordes.
Malicious wordes discouer all the malice of the mynde:
Aristot:
Let therfore reason rule thy tongue so shalt thou fauor finde.
¶ Of the trauels of life and death.
The trauels of the lyfe are sore and painfull very streyght:
Mar: au
But yet the paynes of death are more and of a greater weyght.
¶ Of vertuous.
The fruite of wisedome and the flower of honor must be founde
In men, the which disposed well
Seneca.
in vertue do abounde.
For vertue farre excels the store Of siluer and of golde
The which the euyll commonly desire to haue in holde.
¶ Of truth and time.
Although thou mayst a while kepe close thy sinne and well prouide
Plato.
That by thy subtilty the same may scantly be descryed.
[Page]Yet trueth at last will cleane bewray thy wickednes in time:
Plut.
The which hath sworne for to detect each falshode, sinne and crime.
¶ Of welth.
The purchasing of welth is not so pleasant to the harte:
Aristot.
As it is death vnto the same therefrom for to departe.
¶ Of vertue.
If that in vertue thou delight to vse thy busy payne:
The payne departeth but the fruites of vertue will remayne.
Musoni­us.
But if thou pleasure in the thinge which wicked is and yll:
Thy pleasure doth abate, but payne is bent to tary still.
¶ Of fayned freendes.
The freends whom profite doth allure or lucre doth encrease:
When substance fayleth ther withall their freendlines doth cease.
Socrates
But freendes which lynked are in hart with faythfulnes and loue:
[Page 69]Ne feare, ne fortune, ne mischaunce, ne rigor may remoue.
¶ Of too much escrutiositie.
If thou wouldst not thy trauell haue or labor to be vayne:
Wish no such secreat things wherto
Hermes.
thy will may not attayne.
For thou thy selfe and other none art causer of thy let:
If that thy trauell may not reach thou labor for to get.
¶ Of strikinge.
If that another thou meanste to strike
Pithago
suppose thou wouldst defende
Thy selfe, if he to strike agayne did purpose or intende.
¶ Of chorlish nature.
Of chorlish nature churlish speach procedeth by his kinde:
Dioge.
But gentle speach in gentle heartes a man may lightly finde.
¶ Of the profite of a realme.
That kinge in realmes deserueth fame as worthy of renowne:
Plato.
Which doth deuise to rayse vp right the wronge suppressing downe.
¶ Of wise mens loue, and fooles.
True loue betwixt the felowship. of wise men well may fall:
I Socrat.
But not amonge the foolish route though folly be equall.
For witte by order goeth, and may by right agree in one:
But folly lacketh order so that concorde can be none.
¶ Of the worlde.
Sith that the worlde vnstedily doth often ebbe and flowe:
It doth behoue the wise man well the very same to knowe.
Plut.
And so to sayle when as the time is clenly cleare and fayre:
As he may lodge in hauen when corrupted is the ayre.
¶ Of lyfe and wealth.
It is much better for a man this tedious life to lose:
And so to ryse to richer welth
Marcus aure.
then heart may well suppose.
Then to escape the sting of death and life for to retayne:
[Page 70]Which is implete with vexing griefes and ouerflowes in payne.
¶ Of deceits.
As they that fishe with poysned baytes no profite can attayne:
Because they do corrupt the fishe
Plato.
with such impoysned bayne.
So likewyse they that vse deceits to purchase their desire:
Through their deceits infect thē selues and that which they require.
¶ Of women.
There is no creature vnder heauen
Mar: au
that more desireth fame
Then women do, yet that none lesse indeuors for the same.
¶ Of Wine.
By too much wine the witte and sense is dulled and decayde:
I Socrat.
And by a busy tatling tongue the secreates are bewrayde.
¶ Of a vicious man.
Like as a flye doth more desire to feede of stinking meat:
Pithago
Then of the holesome healthful herbes or sweetest for to eate.
[Page]So doth the vicious man requier
Plato.
more rather to attaine,
The thinges bee like vnto him selfe, then purchase spirituall gaine.
¶ Of trueth.
The man which vseth trueth, shal reap by vsage of the same,
Hermes
Of most men fauour, and good will, and well deserued fame.
¶ Of an euill louer.
The euill louer which doth loue and loueth not a right,
Pithago.
Esteemes and loues his bodie more, then hee regardes his spright.
¶ Of euill mens consente.
The close consent of euill men. no perfecte friendshipp is,
For though they do agree in one
Aristot
yet is the same amis:
Because that frendshipp of him selfe, is so surpassinge pure,
That in ill thinges hee neuer will his spotles kinde inure.
¶ Of priuie benefites,
Lyke as a good phisition so secreatlie doth heale,
[Page 71]His pacients sore, that hee the same in curinge doth not feale,
Aristot:
So should a perfect freend deuise to woorke his friend a gayne:
In secreat sorte vnwares to him, when hee dispayrs in payne.
¶ Of speache and silence.
Both speach and silence they are good if they bee wislie vsde,
Socrat.
But both are naught and perillous, if that they bee abbusde.
¶ Of thankfullnes.
Yf thou a profitt doest receaue, or benefite doest finde,
As well as in thie hande thou must receaue it in thy minde,
For hee vnthankfull is who hides the friendship is bestowde,
Seneca.
And hee vngratfull, who ceceaues and payes not that is owde:
But hee doth least deserue to haue of profit anie parte,
Who neither thankes nor doth requite nor printes it in his harte.
¶ Of furye.
[Page]The ende of wrath or furious ire is much deserued shame:
Aristot:
Because that bridled good forecast did not dispose the same.
¶ Who liues in quiet.
No griefe can commonly frequent the man that is deuoyde
Of these foure things, but his estate is neuer once anoyde.
If he abstayne from slouthfulnes
Pithago
and pride, and slouth, and will:
For where the heart is full of these there griefe remayneth still.
¶ Sustayne and abstayne.
Sustayne and abstayne sustayne griefe and abstayne from the same:
That eyther is enclynde to yll
Epi [...]teus
or may engender blame.
¶ Of dispraysing.
If thou pretende for to disprayse thou must indeuor so
Ouid
For to disprayse that no man know thou dost disprayse thy foe.
¶ Of a kinge.
A king hath little cause to feare
Iustinian
or for to liue in awe.
[Page 72]But onely for to dreade his God and well obey his law.
¶ Of a wicked soule.
A wicked soule may be discernde by hating of the right:
Pithago
Because it chiefly is inclynd [...] to haue in lyes delight.
¶ Of wise sufferance.
When fate aduauuseth vp thy state and thou in happy case
Arte throughly pleased therwithall set vp in lofty place.
Kepe lowe thy corage and beware of scornefulnes and pryde:
Least thou discende to more defame when fate hath thee denyde.
Plato.
And when in trouble thou opprest hast cause for to complayne:
With pacience stifly suffer that and hope for welth agayne.
For it is wisedome for to vse in euery thing a meane:
And neither too much to presume nor to dispayre to cleane.
¶ Of the worldes misery.
It is a misery to view and penury to see:
Now in this worlde all mortal things in vaine compacted be.
The fathers clime for to attayne vnto their children wealth:
And yet the children nought regarde their fathers needefull health.
The fathers tediously prouide to yelde their children rest:
And yet the children both their payne
Marcus [...].
and fathers do detest.
The fathers by their painfull toyle do get their children fame:
The children thankles do requite the fathers with much shame.
The fathers sometime die for griefe to see the luckles state
Of such their children, yet they thinke their fathers death to late.
And all the goodes the fathers reape with pensiuenes and payne:
The children wilfully consume and kepe themselues no gayne.
¶ Of vanishing thinges.
Indouour not to get the same that sone will weare away:
Plato.
But wisely ponder to possesse the things will nere decay.
¶ Of suffisance.
Suffisance is the castell strong which kepeth wise mens wittes
Pithago
From euill workes and ydle thoughts and fonde and foolish [...]ttes.
¶ Of death.
Death neyther shape nor noble birth no person doth esteeme:
But he indeuours each thing like
Boelius
vnto himselfe may seeme.
¶ Of the mighty man.
The man is mighty who with welth [...] is very pore:
Philip.
But he who wanting welth is rich that man is mighty more.
¶ Of the conscience troubled.
The consequent or lequell which or [...] follow after y [...]:
Aristo:
Is the vexation of the sprite which then torments the wyll.
¶ Of measure.
Peruse what measure thou dost meate to other men, the same:
Seneca.
Thou shalt receaue in woes in welth in honor or in fame.
¶ Of the auaritious miser.
The auaritious miser robbes himselfe of all his stay:
Because his auarice chieflly tendes
Seneca.
to take his fame away.
And when as fame doth little fayle or once doth seme to fall:
Both rest and riches, and renowne are ouerwhelmed all.
¶ Of sensualitie.
Where sensualitie doth raigne
Chilon.
no reason can take place:
But order, reason, witte, and sens [...] it blindly doth deface.
¶ Of the world to come.
The man that glory in this life and that would eke procure
Mar: au
In life to come h [...]s t [...]oughts & workes and dealings must be pure.

¶ Preceptes of liuinge.

Be not to busy in the thinges if fauour to obtayne
Zenopho
Thou dost desire, which to thy selfe do nothing apertayne.
Indeuor not for to reforme a foole inclynde to will:
Plato.
For thou shalt nothing profite him but worke thy selfe some yll.
Take hede of wanton womens baytes and wisely do beware:
Least sodainly thou be intrapt
Socrat.
in their disceitfull snare.
For nothing more if thou desire in wisedome to preuayle:
That hinders trauell spent theri [...] or forceth it to fayle.
Accustome not thy selfe to wrath nor seeke not to invre
The same: for it will be a blocke
Thessile
vnto thy selfe be sure.
If thou intende not to do good yet bridle so thy will:
Proper cine.
That it may neither once presume to do the thing is yll.
Thou duely oughtest for to iudge or rather to suppose
Properci
Thy selfe more weaker then the least or weakest of thy foes.
Beware least thou corrupt thy selfe or thine estate defile:
Zenopho
And neither let thy welth ne helth ne bewty thee beguile.
Respect thy path with ready foote and then deuoyde of flight:
Thou shalt no perils once incurre
Zenopho
but guide thy selfe aright
Seeke not with [...] to haue thy matters done in hast:
Cleobi­lus.
For when the fancy seemes to raue the matters fall to wast.
But rather so thy matters vse and trauels do extende:
Cleobu.
As thou by good forecast mayst bring thy matters to good ende.
In euery feare dissolue thy doubt by counsell and aduise:
Cleobu.
For by the same the doubt will cease but comfort wyll arise.
And thou must wisely take the same as duety doth behoue:
Cleobu.
In good forbearing of the wordes though they do thee reproue.
Eschew the felowship of him that hath not great desire
To know himselfe, but bent to will
Dioge.
is thrall vnto his yre.
If thou wouldst be a happy wight a good and vertuous man:
Dioge.
Be not a boulter which reiects the flower, and kepes the branne.
To him that full of frustrate wordes is geuen to babbell all:
Dioge.
With silence aunswere his requestes els aunswere very small.
Indeuor to adorne thy state and bewtify thy life:
And to adioyne vnto thy selfe
Seneca.
a good and honest wife.
If thou wouldst truly be beloued
Seneca.
then must thou vse thy payne:
To loue as thou dost wish or craue to be beloued agayne.
It is thy parte so to forethinke
Seneca.
and haue so good respect:
That nothing passe but thou shouldst knowe therof the full effect.
If thou pretende to promise ought pretende likewise to pay
Pompe.
The same which thou dost graunt in hast without a further stay.
Pleade not against the perfect case which iustice doth vpholde:
Marcus aureli.
But in the matter which is right to pleade and speake be bolde.
Invre thy selfe to labors vse though motion do rebell:
Dioge.
That thou mayst better it forbeare when motion doth compell.
Boast not thy selfe of none of thine
Marcus aureli.
but that which is thine owne:
Least after bragging thy defame and blame as much be blowne.
Behaue thy selfe in gentle sorte and curtesy retayne:
Dioge.
And fauour loue and good reporte shalbe thy proper gayne.
If it would greue thee to receaue rebuke or any shame:
Chilon.
Thou must disdayne to do the deedes that do deserue the same.
For two especiall causes thou mayst well be bolde to sweare:
For to discharge thy selfe of blame, if thou vngilty beare
The same: and likewise to preuent
Cihlon.
the dangers may ensewe
Unto thy freendes on good intente his profite to renewe.
But for the purchase of the welth or heapes of earthly store.
Thou oughtest neuer for to vow or once to sweare therfore.
Desier rather to be cleane then gorgeous in attyre:
Chilon.
For neede more better then excesse contents a wise desire.
Looke wisely to thy selfe and well
Mar: au
beware of thine estate:
Least youth prouoke thee to be proude or scornefull in thy fate.
Put rather trust and confidence in wisedome then in wealth:
[Page 77]Or in vncertayne fortunes chaunce which daily changeth health.
Alexse
And rather seeke to get renowne in vertue vsing payne:
Then in the great abuse which seekes by welth to get a gayne.
If thou for to continue long
Chilon.
in freendship dost desire:
Thou must forbeare thy frende in rage when he is moued to yre.
Thou must determine so to guide thy life, and it to leade:
Arsaci des.
As euery night thou didst suppose a graue to be thy bed.
¶ Or thus.
Thou must determine so to liue and thee for to behaue:
Arsaci.
As euery night thou didst suppose a bed to be thy graue.
It is thy duety so to guide thy selfe in euery thing:
That al thy deedes may serue thy helth
Arsaci.
and not delites to bring.
For it thou weigh the happy plight thy nature doth adorne:
Thou shalt perceaue how fonde excess [...] thy nature seemes to scorne.
But how, it measure doth esteme
Cicero.
which neyther doth suppresse
Thy natures health ne maintenance but scornes as much excesse.
If therfore thou wouldst faine preserue thy selfe and kepe thee cleane:
Thou must indeuour for to get in euery thing the meane.
When thou beginnest any thing remember in thy brayne
Cicero.
That death may visite thee before the ende thou canst attayne.
Finis.

A Pithy and Pleasante discription of the Abbusions, and Uani­ties, of the Worlde.

[figure]
IF man through wisedome would himselfe & weigh his state: speruse
And ponder wisely the abuse that ouerthrowes his fate:
And vnnerstande the lothsome cares conteyned in this life,
And know the cause of all his woes and motion of such strife.
[Page]And marke the tickle tract of time and learne the rewfull rase
Of mortall nature which abhorres the skill of mortall case:
His perfect sense considring thus perusing these with payne,
Should well perceiue and so confesse that euery thing were vayne.
For euery mortall man and thing is like the withering grasse,
Salus [...]e.
And all things frustrately by kinde do passe and do repasse.
The heauens by course vpō their poles reu [...]lue in circle rounde:
And charme their dewties to distill the same vpon the grounde:
And all things labor in like wise
Sibilla.
the which it doth contayne,
And yet their labor frustrate is and trauels be in vayne.
So like wise Titans ramping race perseuers through the skyes,
And through the burning Zones doth course & through the Zodiake hies
Salam [...]r.
And daily trafficks to the West and turnes to East agayne,
[Page 79]And trauels thus for mortals sake yet is it all in vayne.
And siluer Phebus partes the darke and lendeth wholesome light,
(And Titan couered) then displayes hirselfe, in pitchy might,
And so by kinde and natures craft hir walking doth maintayne:
To each mans sight for each mans welth yet is this same as bayne.
The windes disperse their blustring breathes and scatter them about,
Salamon.
Er [...]ending ayre and elements and euery place throughout,
And course from north to south and so from euery part with payne:
And yet the same and all things els is frustrate and in vayne.
And hoary Bortas fiercely blowes his colde congeling blast,
And [...]ephirus with gentle breath
Salamon.
dissolues the sa [...]te as fast,
And with a bridell holdeth frost and burning doth refrayne:
Yet is the same a frustrate toyle and labor spent in vayne.
[Page]And in the like recourse by kinde the elements beare sway,
The which on fire, on ayre, and earth, and moysture take their stay.
And rule the natures of the man and do dispose his helth
By sondry meanes and secreate wayes in working of his welth.
And when as Titan hath drawne vp
Plinius.
of euery filthy lake:
These purge the same, and euery filth and humor clenly make.
And then in season sendes it downe in pleasant wholsome hewe:
And lay the sappe vpon the earth that each thing may renewe.
And so these siluer drops distill the earth for to sustayne:
And yet it is but frust rate fonde and most exceeding vayne.
For all such things for mortall vse their trauels do pretende:
Iesu [...]sy
And therfore all is meare abuse and serues to fruitles ende.
The earth it selfe with all his fruites his profites and his gayne:
[Page 80]Is also fonde and mere abuse and most exceading vayne.
The [...]oyles & fieldes with plesant hews and greenish coates yclade:
Their fertile flowers and sappy plants displayde through natures trade.
And with odiferous vertues yelde their sents to euery brayne:
For to reioyce each panting heart and yet the same is vayne.
The holesome blossomes once through spred the fruits do follow faste:
And euery tree with plenteous store deliuers vp his taste.
And euery seede doth yelde his proofe and so doth euery grayne:
And yet these labors are but fonde and trauels spent in vayne.
The secreat hidden golden gubbes which l [...]e in deepe of grounde:
By mans deuice are delued vp and wisedome well are founde.
The which he reapeth for his vse and taketh for a gayne
And yet the same is meare abuse and most exceeding vayne.
Salamon.
[Page]For all things florish for a time and vade agayne in hast,
And euery mortall thing by kinde is subiect vnto wast,
Mar: au
And as they come they vade away, and as they vade they come:
One standes, another doth decay,
Iesus: sy
another filles the roome.
Each thing that hath bene is agayne, and this is also trew,
Iesus: sy
That whatsoeuer is shalbe for nothing can be new,
Pithago
And euery case is throughly stuft with hazarde, losse, and payne:
And therfore all is great abuse and euery thing is vayne.
The world is full of drowly dreames, of feares and tickle ioyes,
Of bitter baytes, of short delights
Plato.
peri [...]ixed with annoyes,
Of much mishaps or fickle falles of foolish hasty fame,
Hermes:
Of endlesse trauell, of despite, of neede, rebuke, and shame,
1. Iohn. 5
Of sinne, of mischiefe, and of vice, and nought it doth contayne:
Pithago
[Page 81]But mortall is and hath an ende and therfore all is vayne.
And man doth liue and vse his toyle and moyleth sore with care,
And still deuiseth with his witte
Archilaus.
to worke his owne good fare,
And seekes with trouble how to get the goodes of worldly gayne:
And yet by death forgoeth all which thing is very vayne.
And so the state of euery man is bound for to sustayne,
And therfore all is mere abuse ane most exceading vayne.
For each thing mortall stands in neede or els in fickle ioy,
Archi laus.
Or els in hazard or in feare or els in great annoy,
And each thing hath vncertayne state wheron it doth depende:
Socrat.
And therfore all is mere abuse and serues to no good ende.
Both high, and low, and rich, and poore, as also great and small,
To hazardes, troubles, losse, and woes, they be addicted all,
[Page]And euery state and each degree is subiect vnto payne:
And therfore all is mere abuse and most exceding vayne.
The prince whom most men do repute to liue in happy staye,
Is most subdewd to troubles yoke and subiect to decay.
Marcus au [...]e.
Whose wittes not onely frounses are in drowsy dumpish cares:
By waighty charge the which himselfe vppon his shoulders beares.
But also is dismayd by feare of open foes despight,
And also of the priuy foe which worketh out of sight.
And is suppressed by the force of fortunes tickle whele
Which cannot stande but stackring stil vnstedily doth reele.
And as his case is most aduaunst so most suboewd to call,
(Of fortune) which when fortune failes attaynes to greatest fall.
For as his members many be wheron his state doth stay,
[Page 82]The greater likewise be the harmes that worke his owne decay.
And thus he lyues in trauell, peyne, in feare and fickle ioy,
In doubt and hazarde of his welth but certayne of anoy.
And if it chaunce that fauour do befrende his happy fate,
That neuer mischefe do suppresse the glory of his state,
Yet notwithstanding such his ioyes his welth and his renowne
By death are finished in fine and cleane suppressed downe.
And then of all his glory, nought therof he doth retayne:
And therfore such his state is fonde and most exceding vayne.
For though he were of greater welth then Midas miser he,
Or power then Alexander great
Salamon
by any meanes could be,
And though he could deuise to liue with such an ydle hart
That both from tedious workes and thoughts his fancy could depart:
[Page]And neither trouble nor annoy his diet could disease,
But that his humour should receaue the thinges his stomake please.
And weare of purest golde with stones of passing precious kinde,
Such costl [...] robes as nere the like no mortall man can finde,
And treade as subiect vnderfoote the scepter and the crowne,
Of euery nation vnder heauen suppressing all thinges downe,
And did an epicurish lyfe with all delightes sustayne:
Yet were his state vncertayne stil
Salamon
and most exceading vayne.
Each ruler likewise vnder him which beareth rule and sway,
For all his rule is rulde himselfe by ruine and decay,
And though with noblenes of birth his state be set alofte,
And though his bones is rested wel vpon his pillow softe.
And though with dainty fare his mouth is satisfied with taste,
[Page 83]And mirth delites his senses well yet all these things do wast,
By sinking sorow which apares his great considering hart,
By painfull toyling how to deale and execute his parte,
The which as well doth weaken witte as also troubleth brayne:
And therfore all his rule is fonde and also very vayne.
For he doth liue in no such state so certayne or so sure,
That he in maintenance of ease or welth shall still endure,
But all his pleasure still is mixt with pensiuenes and payne:
Salam [...].
And care and perill of his case which thing is very vayne.
Since therfore thus the lofty states of earthly tedious race,
Be so subdued to casualties and yrksome painfull case
How much the more is simple sort opprest with further woes,
When thraldomes pester and his yoke is bent so much to those
[Page]Agree therfore with open throte with me for to complayne:
And say that all things is abuse and euery thing is vayne.
And marke from hyest to the least and note with busy cure:
If thou canst vewe one thing in earth
Mar: au
is stable firme and sure:
But all things be addict to waste and each thing to decay,
And there is nothing in the world but it doth weare away:
And yet in life and being be the subiects all to payne:
And therfore all is mere abuse and euery thing is vayne.
And in our life no life doth liue so much at certayne ease
That it can satisfy the hart or stomake throughly please.
Because that euery life to cares
Plato.
is bounde, and euery state
To trauels, hazardes, losse and feares, and yokte to wauering fate.
The noble captayne whose renowne is hautily displayde,
[Page 84]Through martial feates which wel de­serue no prayse to be delayde:
Though y • in glorious plight he spendes his daxes in happy time,
When forsing cause of manly proofe espruddeth not in prime.
Yet after pleasant easy tyde and weather cleane end fayre:
When tempestes rage and stormes he rude and misty is the ayre.
His easy state from great delight is turnde to greatest payne,
Respect therfore and see of right if each thing be not vayne.
Can pleasure more thy stomake please or gayne thy fancy feede
Of earthly store, then get renowne through manly martiall deede?
Or is there any thing or things so pleasant to the lyfe
Of man as fame? or any case more greuous then in strife?
If not beholde and ponder well the captaynes tickle trade,
The which to both these fickle things is most a subiect made.
[Page]Now lifted vp and much aduaunst through worthy hie renowne,
Now by reprofe or great reproch as much suppressed downe,
Now at his ease when as his hart is pleased through repast,
Now at his pester when with smart he feeles his force to wast,
Now in a certayne sure estate deuoyde of euery care:
And now in hazarde and in flight abounding all in feare.
Now in suffisance of his store and maintenance of welth,
Now thorow drownde in depe dispaire diminishing his health,
Now preaching pleasantly to those which gratify his payne:
Now dealing rudely with his foes which yelde the like agayne.
Now florishing with semely hew and comely braue and trimme
Now mangled, torne, and all disperst in euery part and limme.
Now bearing life when healthful sappe his lusty senses shielde,
[Page 85]Now like a beast berest of breath remayning in the fielde.
And now of all his race and course what profite doth remayne,
Or of his toyles and labors all what thing doth he retayne?
Himselfe is dead, and saith no more and strikes no more his foe,
And cannot shew the reason why or cause that he doth so.
And all the substance that his care hath reaped in his dayes,
He leaues behinde him to his heire the which as fast decayes.
And all the pleasure that himselfe hath gayned of his fame,
Is also dead, and no man knowes where he may seeke the same.
And if perchance through actual deedes he vsed in time past,
He after death receaues renowne what is it but a blast.
And yet to him no pleasure is nor profite, nor a gayne:
And therfore see how his astate is most exceading vayne.
[Page]The veutrous marchant whose degre [...] is maintaynde by his toyle,
And doth deuise and labors harde and trafficks euery soyle.
And learneth this, and knoweth that, and yet is still to seeke:
What is his trauall but a payne which still doth come to wreke.
Is labor sweetenes, or the toyle that makes the sweaty brayne,
May it by right accombted be a profite or a gayne?
If not, peruse and ponder well the marchants tickle state:
Whose wealth is guided by the frauds of fortunes fickle fate.
With great aboundance of his woes and anguish of his minde:
He seekes, and at the last doth get the thinges which he would finde,
He doth prouide by good forecast and seekes with earnest payne
To purchase credite which wel got he cares for to maintayne.
And learnes to know of euery ware the certayne easyest price:
[Page 86]And then doth warily pursue to follow his deuice.
He byeth wisely with his witte and maketh neere accompt
Of each expence which followes, then what profite wyll amount.
And then with diligent aduice according to the same:
With expedition to the effect his matters he doth frame.
He wayes the thing, the time and place wherto he meanes to sende:
And these considred followes more and further doth extende.
He bargaynes with the sayler then in seeking his resorte,
How that with diligence his goodes the sayler will transport.
And after some accustomde talke he shortly doth agree,
And then agayne peruseth all how euery thing wyll be.
This done he packeth vp his wares and euery thing in haste:
But so that still he viewes that nought be framed vnto waste.
[Page]And shippeth it with busie cure and looketh to the sayle
And taklyngs, seeinge all thinges sure that nought in neede maye fayle,
And for his owne and proper vse such thinges hee doth prouide,
That nothing needfull is should want, or lacking bee espide.
And then when all thinges finisht bee and eche thinge well assinde,
Hee tarrtes for a prosperous tyde, and for a luckye wynde.
The whiche by chaunce, or els in tyme allot vnto his praye,
And then with speede and warie witts they hoyse and packe a waye:
And then by course the waues aryse and boysterous blastes do blowe,
And stormes do rage the shipp aboue and eke the shipp belowe,
And beates the hatches, and by force do breake the steaddye maste,
And teares the sayles, & ouer whelmes the vessell at the laste.
And then the raging rampyng seas, so fearslie do abounde
[Page 87]That shipp, and man, and goods, & all, are turned to the grounde.
This is the ende of all his toyle, this is his onelie gayne:
Consider therfore of the same, And saye that all is vayne.
And if that fortune fauour so this same his rufull case,
That it do graunte the selye wretche suche casualties to passe:
And after heauie shipp wrackes, brings by chaunges of the ayre
His fearfull hart to good reliefe, abandoninge dispayre.
And after longe exspected tyme doth harbour him at laste,
Deuoyde of feare in hauen sure which yeldes him more repaste:
Yet not withstandinge vewe the ende, of all his toyle and payne,
And thou shalt see, and saye that hee and euerie thing is vayne.
By former trauell hee hath paste the pykes and scapte great cares,
And vanquished the force of waues, and now deuoyde of feares,
[Page]He is ariued at the port which well doth please his minde,
Where as he doth deuise agayue his profite how to finde.
And there with diligence prouides and wittely prepares
By crafty meanes for strangers sight to lay his subtill snares.
And with his care he purgeth cleane the wracke his goodes sustaynde
Upon the seas by great mischaunce when he himselfe was paynde.
This done vnlading such his wares by credite he doth get
A roume or warehouse wher he works the tryall of his feate.
And wisely ordring all such things according to the skill
Of marchants secreat knowledge, then he moues his witte and will,
By wary vsage and aduise of cunning to allure
His marchants, so that at the last he therby doth procure
The happy sale of all his goodes according to desire:
[Page 88]And then this done he thinks againe how homewarde to retire.
Now know thus far the wretch hath wrought & moyld with careful pain
And now to rage of cruell seas he yeldes himselfe agayne:
And marke the misery of this wherto it doth extende:
And thou shalt see the great abuse which serues to fruitles ende.
He did begin his voyage first with trauell feare and doubt:
And as he feared euery thing is painfully faulne out:
He endeth likewise with the same and yet for all his toyle,
He hath least parte of that wherin he vsed thus to moyle.
Suppose of this, iudge of this griefe, and ponder of this payne:
How man shall toyle & moyle with car [...] and feare, and reape no gayne.
And well perusing thou mayst see that all the world is bent
To such vnhappy toyling stat [...] which is as vainly spent:
[Page]But passe not thus the tickle state of marchants frustrate race.
But thorowly peruse the same considring of his case,
That thou mayst fully see and thinke and deeme of all his payne:
And therby know and vnderstande his state to be most vayne.
As first with care he did prouide and then did scape annoy:
And then agayne did vse his care so now he leaues his ioy:
And to the raging seas returnes which troubles stomake sore
Because he enters perils where his heart was vext before.
And yet occasion moueth so and cause doth so constrayne,
That needes of force vnto the same he must returne agayne:
Now note that he as likely is with all his store and goodes
For to remayne in deepe of seas inuironde of the floods.
As by good chaunce the wished porte with safety to ariue:
[Page 89]Wheras his hart with more of ease may purpose for to thriue.
Yet not with standing though hee haue the full of his desire,
So much that fansie may not craue nor stomake more require,
And though hee bringe of happie store sufficient to extend:
For maintenance of him and his, yet vewe the frustrate end.
He longe hath bin at easles state and at vnquiet staye,
For filthy luker, which as draffe or durte doth weare awaye,
And hath escaped daungers greate and perrills with much feare
And nowe at laste with ioyfull harte he is approched where
He hopes to liue at better ease and to receiue reliefe,
And yet it turnes to his disease and most vnto his griefe.
For shortly after life departes from this vnhappy man,
And he in wrapped in the grounde of gayne or pleasure than:
[Page]What doth he reape though he with care haue traueled for the same,
Which often times when he is deade doth worke his vtter shame:
Learne therfore, see, peruse, thinke, iudge & then thou shalt wel know,
The full effect of marchants case and matter which I showe:
To day possessing welth and store to morow worne away.
His goodes and riches all are lost he brought vnto decay.
To day i [...] estimation great to morow very small:
The next day lesser then before the next day leesing all,
Sometime abounding in his ioyes and somtyme drownde in care:
Somtime in happi luckye state sometime in mornefull fare.
Sometime at ease sometime at payn [...] sometime in quiet place:
Sometime at losse sometime at gayn [...] sometime at perilous case.
And thus his state vncertayne is and neuer hath a stay:
[Page 90]But as it is adict to ioyes so likewyse to decay.
And he therfore in such his state can nought at all preuayle,
But with his state doth rise aloft and fall when it doth fayle.
Agree therfore with open throte with me for to complayne:
And say that all things is abuse
Salamon
and euery thing is vayne.
As well the man indewde with welth as vaunsed by renowne:
As also he that both by fat [...] is raysde and pressed downe.
And likewise he who by his toyle or trauell doth pursewe,
To purchase store or to his lyfe a profite to renewe.
And nowe consider of degree which beares a lower sayle
If that the same be not addict as sodainly to fayle.
That by perusing of the same though lowest and the least,
Thou mayst discer [...]e it for a state though vayne, yet most at rest.
[Page]And thinke vpon the man who liues by labor of his handes,
With whome no profite nor encrease nor gayne nor comfort standes:
Except he get it by the sweate of browes, or earnist payne
Of bodyes force which still applyes his liuing to sustayne.
He beats, he breaks, he batters, bowes, he writheth, and he bendes:
He digges, he delues, and to his toyle his labor still extendes.
And neuer ceaseth all his life to moyle with all his strength,
Till foule deformed tedious age or death aproch at length:
And yet a common thing it is for man in youth to plye
His payne and labor, and in age in wretchednes do die:
Uiewe therfore from the top to to [...] of euery such degree,
And wisely ponder of the same and thou shalt plainly see:
That in conclusion each and all is bent to care and payne:
[Page 91]And yet doth tende to no good ende but frustrate and in vayne.
Of painfull liuers who doth liue (permirt with tickle ioy,
And yet in trauell and in losse and diuers much annoy,)
More better then the simple man whose race and vitall scope:
Doth both depende on wealth & woes and feare and fickle hope.
And yet receaues the naturall vse and kindly happy welth,
Which doth procede from fertile earth maintayning manly health
In winter he adornes the grounde and sowes in meetest time,
And after seedes espruddeth forth he purgeth them in pryme.
And all these thinges he gladly doth and with a ioyfull hart,
Because that hope his fancy telles he shall receaue his parte.
And then in Somer doth procede from earth his hoped gayne:
The which enioyes his doutfull sense and doth relent the payne.
[Page]The which his stomake did forbeare with doubtfulnes before:
And so by fate and fortune good he heapeth vp his store,
And in a season doth procure to him such great encrease:
By former labor that at length he doth agree to cease
From moyling and determines now to liue in happy rest,
But marke how fonde is his estate when he doth iudge it best.
The myser is compelde to leaue by death his pleasures all,
And other florish in the same when he hath got the fall.
And this is most a vexing griefe whych worldlings do retayne:
And therfore all is meere abuse and euery thing is vayne.
For euery man that liues in earth doth lyue in carpe and care,
To reape the wealth of earthly store and hardly to prepare:
Such benefites as may suffise the stay of his estate,
[Page 92]And doth sustayne misfortunes great by frowning frowarde fate:
And yet it is not for himselfe to vse or to enioy:
But for another which receaues the same without annoy.
And thus the profite is not his but his is still the payne:
And other men do reape the welth which thing is very vayne.
If therfore this thou do peruse and weigh the ample tract
Of each estates effect, and thinke how each thing is compact.
And from the highest to the least thou ponder in thy hart,
And from the simplest to the best considring euery part:
Thou shalt perceaue and vnderstande that each thing earth conta [...]ues:
Which is [...] to greatest porte is subiect most to paynes.
And euery thing that is the least and beareth least of swa [...]:
Is charged least a [...]d least subdewde to ruine and decay.
[Page]For still the higher that a thing doth stande, the greater fall
It doth attayne, but lower lesse for lowest least of all.
And note that nothing in the world remaynes at better ease:
Then the degree which kept alowe no fortune can displease.
For what doth liue in lesse misdout or hath lesse cause of feares
Or most occasion of a stay or motion least to teares.
Then that which euer troden downe could neuer ryse a hye,
To know what fal should meane, or els of pleasure to discry:
The poorest therfore and the lowst
Protege.
estate, and least degree
That is, and may be so maintaynde is most from troubles free.
For it by losses is not vext nor cares distempered sore,
Because it is refraynde of that which it possest before:
Nor trembles not through quaking feares nor is no more opprest
[Page 93]But still doth liue at certayne stay and one especiall rest:
Nor is not threatned to decay by fortunes frowning cheere
Nor death, nor doubt, nor once dispayre for ought then can appere.
Nor seekes not for to scratch with care the heapes of earthly store,
But is contented with his owne and doth desire no more:
Nor feareth not to be depriued of that he doth possesse,
Nor neede not care least any man his substance would oppresse.
Nor doth not craue the wanton sectes of pleasure or delight:
But is by abstinence inforst to liue and deale aright.
And therfore such estate doth both
Dioge.
himselfe to right subdew:
And matters most which duty craues it rightly to infew:
And also least is bent to feele though naturally the payne
And trauell of the world the which in euery thing is vayne.
[Page]And therfore thus amongst the [...]
Mar: au
of mortall things abuse:
I finde the poorest state to tend [...] to best and wisest vse.
And yet the wisest and the best is but a frustrate payne:
And therfore all is great abuse and euery thing is vayne.
For what assured ease doth grow vnto the wise man more
Then any other? not a whit, but as to them before.
For though his wisedome by forecast may diuers harmes eschew:
Salam [...]n
Yet notwithstanding do his lets as plenteously renew.
What tedious trauell doth he bear [...] his wisedome to attayne:
What lothsome dayes doth it import to spende in endles payne.
And yet when amply he hath got the full of his request,
What wretch doth liue at his disease and more at his vnrest:
For both his wisedome and his skil especially pretende:
[Page 94]To vexe himselfe, and thus his toyles is spent to frustrate ende.
It bringeth cause of great complaynts and motion vnto teares:
And sobbes & sighes, & pensiue thoughts and thus the time it weares.
And doth allure vnrestfull tract and lothsomnes of life:
And thus doth nosell in the hart such diuers vexing strife.
Can there be more vnease to man when he vneased most
Remaynes, then thus in hartes vncase for to be vext and lost?
Mar: [...]
Or is there more a misery that worldlings do retayne
Then in the hart or inward partes to ouerflow in payne?
If not: suppose of wise mens woes the which ingendred be
By wisedome who cōplaynes of world the vanities to see.
Be wayling greatly to beholde the fondnes of the same:
And workes therof which only tends to foolishnes and shame.
[Page]And the presumption of the life and nature of the minde,
And disposition of the corps by nature so assignde:
And endles trauell it forbeares vnto a fruitles ende:
And what dispite and iniury it chiefly doth extende:
And the annoyous harmes and hurte [...] the liuing do assayle,
And the dispituous cruell foes which in our life preuayle:
And the incombrances and stoppes that hinder earthly health,
As also the vnhappy lettes that hinder heauenly wealth:
And last the mortall ende of man his ruine and decay:
How euery mortall thing by right is bounde to weare away.
And the rewardes which after death approch with ioy or payne:
Salamon
Which thing especially doth moue the wise man to complayne.
Thus see how wisedome doth prouoke the minde it doth enioy:
[Page 95]To such vnceasing pensiue thoughts which bredes his owne annoy.
And can not stay but thinke vpon his owne vnhappy case,
Who happy should esteme himselfe if ended were his rase:
And marke & note if thou mayst view the wise mans state so free:
From payne or death in any poent or so deuoyde to be
Of naturall decay but that his state doth fall at last,
When all his wisedome wyth himselfe is brought to vtter waste:
And then of all his wisedome nought he reapeth for a gayne:
And yet in life it doth intende his trauell and his payne.
Thus therfore pondring of the case perusing the effecte:
How that the wise mans wisedome seemes his pleasure to detect.
And can not get no rest of all the trauell he doth vse:
Me thinkes his wisedome onely tendes himselfe for to abuse.
[Page]And therfore feele I that the foole
Salamon
doth liue at better ease:
And more at rest with quiet state which doth his stomake pease.
And better is [...] with all that nature hath assignde
Then is the wise man who complaines of each thing in his minde.
For fooles be voyde of each suspect and nother minde decay
Of thynges, nor matters weyght nor thinke of euerie matters staye:
And neither ponder of them selues, nor vse their payne to learne
Of other matters to discrye or rightlie to discearne,
But thinks vppon the present thinge [...] and lets the other passe,
And so supposeth of the same, as doth as Oxe, or Asse,
Whose in warde partes is neuer vext but when at presente time
It hath occasion whereunto, capassitie muste clime.
For so a foole, determines that the whiche doth appertaine,
[Page 96]Unto his common [...]uslenance or present ready gayne.
But little we [...]eth the cause or case or seeketh to define:
The proofe or [...] of any thing wherto it should encline.
And therfore since that nether care nor anguish do oppresse
His heart nor toyle his stomake tear [...] in any such distresse.
And that he liues and doth not moyle in body nor in minde
But is at rest: his foolish state is most a [...] ease I finde.
What profite more doth there redound vnto the sparers payne:
Then to the spender who deuo [...]de of cars doth wast his gayne.
Euen as the one by wast full wyll doth begge when all is spent:
And so doth purchase to himselfe the wracke of [...]uch intent.
Cicero.
So doth the other passe his life in sparing of the same:
The which [...] vnto himselfe for most exceading shame.
[Page]Can there be more a greater griefe or terror to the hart,
Then for a man to breake his brayn [...] to reape his proper smart?
Or is there more a painfull thing for any to forbeare,
Then for to labor for the same the which ingenders feare?
Or is there more a witnes sharpe against the dreade of minde:
Then when a man against himselfe a witnes seekes to finde?
No: neither worldly care ne payne ne trauell, ne misdoubtt
Ne losse, ne hazarde, which by chaunce may diuersly fall out:
Doth so distemper worldly har [...]s in seeking of their gayne:
As he witholding of the same which they would fayne retayne.
For after labor long bestowed and trauell much pursewde:
And care much vsed yet in ende they be agayne renewde.
And though a man haue liued longe and spent his trauell much:
[Page 97]For his reuenewes yet his heart is vexed more by such.
Not onely by the wretched care that seekes it to encrease:
And by desire insaciate which therin can not cease.
But also by his owne abuse and by the further shame:
Which doth by such abuse amount to his deserued blame.
Cicero.
What misery is this for man to moyle with all his care:
To get the ease which may suffise to worke his owne good fare.
Plato.
And yet when he hath got at large the thing he did desire:
It should be cause that more and more his stomake should require.
And yet not onely that, but eke his state for to abase:
As also through his owne abuse the same for to deface.
And marke what great vngratefulnes is rendred for the store:
Which he doth leaue to the successe of other, though before
[Page]He vsed his care and payne so much and thou shalt plainly see:
How frustrate, fonde, and very vayne his sparing all should be.
For what more better is it sayde of him when he deceast:
But since the chorle could not be filde now shall it be my rest.
For he though still vncessantly did seeke for such a stay:
Yet when as he possessed it it was his owne decay.
And therfore now the miser gone hath left against his will:
The fruites of all his payne to me and it shalbe my fill.
Since therfore thus in this same world the man which doth retayne
The full of worldly wealth his state, is so exceading vayne.
What may be sayde of those which liue in needefulnes and want:
With whom ne welth ne ease abounds but euery thing is scant?
What may it now be thought of him which all hath spent away:
[Page 98]And by deserued wilfulnes is falne vnto decay.
No more but briefly to conclude he reapes deserued payne:
And therfore all is meere abuse and euery thing is vayne.
For so the world is diuersly tormented with his owne:
And all the trauels of the life are sundry wayes yknowne.
Some by their high estate are vext and some for want of wealth:
Some by presumption which they vse and some through lacke of health.
Some by their greedy appetite which neuer hath his fill:
Some by the [...] worme in mind some by their wanton will.
Some by the losse of their delite some by frequented vse:
Some by superfluous pleasures fonde some by their owne abuse.
Some by their fancy, some by feare, some by compelled payne:
Some by the tickle ioyes of fate some by their wilfull brayne.
[Page]And thus the world is full of griefes which euery man doth beare:
Though some in this and some in that their tedious times do weare.
One trauels farre with doubt & payne in dangers and annoy:
And griefe, and anguish of his minde a profite to enioy▪
Another in his natiue soyle tormented is as much:
And liues in trembling feare and toyle though not in cases such.
For euery thing and each estate though that a little space
It may attayne to little ioyes surmounted in his place.
Yet if thou marke, it nere assende [...] so lofty or so [...]ye:
But at the last it doth discende and fall as lowe therby.
What man can compasse so to reach
Esayas.
the full of worldes delite,
But that his case is diuers wayes
Salamo.
inclyned to dispite.
Or who can [...]o deuise to gayne
Iesus: sy
himselfe to hi [...] renowne:
[Page 99]But that occasion may suppresse and ouer whelme it downe.
Or who can comprehende so much experience of his time?
But that as long as life doth last he is a slaue to cryme,
No man can bridell so the world nor worldlines refrayne:
But still the world infecteth all and each thing puts to payne.
And therfore with a lothsome hart I forced am to say:
That euery thing is vayne, because it comes to vayne decay.
What pleasure more doth he attayne that hath the chiefe of all
The pleasurs which the world cōtayns and hath at last a fall?
Then he which neuer could discerne what such delites should meane,
But is from such abusions kinde by force excluded cleane.
Doth golde adorne the sprite of man or bewtify the minde:
Or is there grace by worldly wealth into the soule▪ assignde?
[Page]Or is the raging lust restraynde by heapes of earthly store?
No, no, but wickednes and crime is therby moued more.
For earthly treasure is the bagge which vices doth maintaine:
And vice is that same very thing which maketh all things vayne.
Who therfore gladly would receaue the happy life and time:
Must in his mortall race auoyde the motions vnto crime.
Regarding each thing in this vale as I haue sayde before:
To be but frustrate, vayne, and fonde, no better nor no more.
For mortall trace a passage is vnto another life:
Which is not mortall but deuoyde of foolish mortall strife.
And therfore he that willingly would other life attayne:
Must seeke for to reforme this life because it is but vayne.
Finis.

Imprynted at London in Fleetstreate, beneathe the conduit, at the signe of Saint Iohn Euangelist, by Thomas Colwell.

¶ Seene and alowed accordynge to the order appoynted. &c.

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